MORE than 1,230 local criminals from Hampshire have been arrested as a result of appeals featured on Crimestoppers’ Most Wanted web site, which is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of its launch this November.

The independent charity Crimestoppers originally set up Most Wanted to support Operation Captura which sought information on criminals who had fled abroad. Of the 86 appeals that have been made over the decade, 71 fugitives have been extradited and brought back to face justice.

Across Hampshire and Isle of Wight, 1957 separate appeals have been posted on Most Wanted over the decade, leading to information on 1,370 individuals and resulting in the 1,233 arrests. These cases are now closed. There are currently over 100 appeals for Hampshire & IOW on the Most Wanted site.

CCTV has played a significant role in catching criminals red handed, leaving it to the users of the Crimestoppers site to identify them. In some cases criminals hand themselves in because of the notoriety that the site has given them. Everyone using the Most Wanted website or the online information-giving form (www.crimestoppers-uk.org) is protected with the same anonymity as those who contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Successful appeals have been made for murder, high value robberies across the New Forest (which saw three arrested and charged) and bank card frauds (where owners had been talked into revealing their PINs and handing over their cards to couriers. Many of the criminals have been identified just through Efits.

Can you help locate any of the Hampshires’ Most Wanted? Take a look at crimestoppers-uk.org/most-wanted.