Crimestoppers most wanted gallery tours on 10th anniversary

faces of Britain's most wanted criminals could be appearing on a street near you

Published 16th Nov 2015

The faces of Britain's most wanted criminals could be appearing on a street near you as Crimestoppers takes its online gallery on tour.

Three vans fitted with large screens will travel 800 miles between them as they hit the streets of major cities on a tour through England, Wales and Scotland to mark 10 years since Crimestoppers' Most Wanted online gallery was launched nationwide.

It will show the faces of people wanted in connection with crimes including murder, sexual assault, burglary, robbery, street attacks and domestic violence.

There have been 3,589 arrests from the 12,524 appeals made on the site, which allows members of the public to give anonymous tips about suspects.

Crimestoppers chief executive Mark Hallas said the site appeals "to the nation's 'arm chair' detectives - those who want to help fight crime from the safety of their own home and, above all else, anonymously''.

He said: "It was quite ground-breaking when it first launched as the first national online source of wanted individuals, and it continues to be an important tool for UK law enforcement today.''

Successes have included the conviction of Jakub Tomczak, who received two life sentences after the violent rape of a woman in Exeter in 2006.

Lloyd Gardner, of Ottery St Mary, who answered the appeal, turned down a £10,000 reward on offer for information leading to the arrest and conviction - and instead donated the money to the victim.

Crimestoppers Most Wanted receives around 30,000 views from the public every month, at crimestoppers-uk.org/most-wanted/