CRIMESTOPPERS works! That is the conclusion of new research which shows that anonymous information phoned in by the public to Crimestoppers is helping police catch more criminals.

The study into arrests made following information received from Crimestoppers indicated that in 63 per cent of cases the information was crucial to the crime's detection.

Crimestoppers is responsible for 14 arrests each day with one fifth of offenders not known to police and a further 40 per cent were not suspected of the crime reported.

Bill Griffiths of the Association of Chief Police Officers said: "This independent research shows Crimestoppers, with its guarantee of anonymity and therefore safety from reprisals, does add real value to the work of police and we would like to see more people use it."

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