A new campaign has been launched to encourage more islanders to join the fight against crime in Jersey.
Crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers is calling the initiative ˜Seen something . . . Heard something . . . Said nothing?' and hopes that it will remind people that they can help bring lawbreakers to justice while being guaranteed complete anonymity.
The campaign is being spearheaded by Niall McClure, who took over as volunteer chairman of Jersey Crimestoppers earlier this year and is the managing director of security specialists G4S in Jersey. He explained that over the next few months the campaign would gain momentum before it focused on different crimes throughout 2013. Those areas will be decided in consultation with the States of Jersey Police.
"The charity fundamentally believes that people and communities should live free from crime and the fear of crime, and if you witness a crime or know one has been committed, the charity's preference is that you go to the police,' said Mr McClure.
"However, lots of people don't want to, or cannot, go to the police, and that is where we come in. They want to remain anonymous. They might be connected to the person who has committed the crime or it might be domestic abuse.
"The key to Crimestoppers is anonymity. We want to know what you know, not who you are. That is the big sell. We guarantee anonymity. You can do the right thing for yourself, your family and your community."
Calls made to Crimestoppers are answered by staff at a call centre in the UK and so there is no chance that callers' voices will be recognised locally. Information can also be submitted anonymously online using Crimestoppers' secure Online Giving Information Form at
www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
"Crimestoppers take information and package it up into actionable information and feed that back out to the relevant police authority, in Jersey the States police,' he said. "It can be about any crime. It can be drugs, possession, dealing, trafficking or cultivating in a back room. It could be driving offences, drink-driving, driving without a license, while disqualified or without insurance. It can be domestic abuse. It could be acquisitive crime, break and entry and theft."
Anyone who wants to report a crime or has information about offenders should phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or log onto
www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
