The charity Crimestoppers has formally agreed to work in partnership with Neighbourhood Watch in Cumbria. This is the first working partnership of the two organisations in the UK and will help make Cumbria safer.
Crimestoppers had over 1,200 pieces of information given to them anonymously online and by phone in 2018 receive from people living in Cumbria. This was a record and led to numerous arrests, convictions and drugs seized.
Successful campaigns were run on County Lines, Modern Slavery, Rural Crime and Drink Driving.
Gary Murray, North West Regional Manager for the charity Crimestoppers, said: “Our charity is here to take information from the public about crime anonymously, with the aim of helping to keep our communities safe. In 30 years, we have never revealed the identity of those who have contacted us.
“Intelligence from the community plays a vital role in reducing crime. We are delighted to be working closely with Neighbourhood Watch and the other Watch schemes in Cumbria to help prevent crime and to highlight that everyone has a role to pay in helping make one of the most beautiful and safest areas in the UK safer.
Joe Murray, Chair of CNHW, said; “The nature of crime has changed in many ways, and as organisations we must adapt and evolve to combat these new threats, many of which emanate from outside the county.
“By working in partnership, we are able to make the public more aware of these threats and how to protect themselves and their families from being victims of crime and how they can report crime through the watch schemes or anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers.
“The activities of both organisations complement each other and we have many innovative and exciting plans for the year ahead.”
Peter McCall, Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, comments: “Fighting crime in our communities is a responsibility we all share. It is essential that we raise awareness and encourage people to think about how they can make their homes and communities safer, watch out for each other and especially the vulnerable and report crimes or any behaviour that seems to be suspicious.
“Volunteer groups such as the Neighbourhood Watch are so important in our communities, highlighting crime, conducting crime-prevention work and sharing information with the police and other partners. They do fantastic work on our behalf but they are made up of volunteers, good folk just doing their bit for their neighbours, they always need help and I would ask anyone who can to think about getting involved.
“This collaboration between Crimestoppers and Neighbourhood Watch is an excellent example of how organisations can complement each other and work in partnership to make our county even safer. As a team we are much stronger and we make our county harder place for criminals to operate.
“Whether it is reporting crimes through Neighbourhood Watch schemes, or people providing information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, calling Cumbria Police on 101 or emailing direct on 101Emails@cumbria.police.uk, by reporting it in you are helping the police to respond to tackle crime in Cumbria.”
If you have any information on crime in Cumbria then contact Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through our untraceable Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
