John Coles reports:   Figures released this week have shown, more people on the Isle of Wight are calling Crimestoppers to report crimes.  A direct result there has been an increase in the number of arrests made following of tip-offs.

Calls to Crimestoppers, are all made under the protection of anonymity and have increased by 20 per cent to a record 1,777.

Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan, of Hampshire Constabulary, said:

“These are excellent results. As the embedding of Safer Neighbourhood’s develops, the public are becoming more conscious that fighting crime is everybody’s concern.”

He added: “The force’s detection rates have risen significantly this year, and Crimestoppers information has certainly assisted in achieving such positive results.”

The Hampshire and IoW Crimestoppers board published their first full results last year for 2006/07 which recorded 186 arrests from 1,476 calls.  The figures for 2007-08 show 240 arrests from 1,777 calls.

Simon Theobalds, the charity’s project co-ordinator in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight said:

“The story behind the figures is the steadily growing value of Crimestoppers information to the police. PC Simon Wright, the Force’s Crimestoppers Co-ordinator said the charity had enjoyed huge success.

Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Isle of Wight Community News @Island Pulse.