Crime fighting charity marks its 20th anniversary

An independent crime-fighting charity celebrated 20 years of serving Sussex on Wednesday.

The anniversary was celebrated with an event at The Grand Hotel in Brighton.

The event was attended by 75 people helped by the organisation and Carolyn Randall, the former Crimestoppers area manager for Sussex from the local branch’s inception until recently, was also there.

Beyond the glitz and glamour of The Grand, the charity is still fighting crime – and has been nationally since it was launched in 1988.

Six years later, the Sussex branch was established.

Since its launch, Crimestoppers UK has taken more than 1,500,000 phone calls, which has led to more than 127,000 arrests, £129 million of goods being recovered and £319 million of drugs being seized.

The charity said its independence from the police and law enforcement is what makes it unique and is also the reason why people contact it with information anonymously.

Its youth service, Fearless, is aimed at 11 to 16-year-olds and tries to educate youngsters about crime and encourage them to pass on information.

At the start of 2014 Crimestoppers launched Crime Matters, a campaign to engage with the public.

With almost 1,000 responses, the survey found that 93% of people believe everyone has a responsibility to prevent crime, while the crimes they care about nationally include murder and sexual offences, and locally, burglary and theft.

About 20 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers.

One of its key devices in bringing people to the attention of the police is offering rewards.

In 2013 and so far in 2014, it has passed on 2,191 pieces of actionable information to Sussex Police, which led to 45 people being arrested and charged.

Crimestoppers has 11 cases in Sussex in which people are sought under its “most wanted” banner.

In 2005, Crimestoppers launched the UK’s Most Wanted on its website, which allows the public to view images of suspected criminals and pass on vital information about their whereabouts.

The charity says it has been highly successful, with more than 2,800 arrests to date.

Here are the cases Sussex Police still wants to hear about:

1) At around 10.30pm on April 29 this year, a 51-year-old man was walking home from a pub in Brunswick Street West when he met a man at the junction with Western Road and Lansdowne Street in Hove.

They got chatting and they went back to the victim’s nearby flat, where he was raped.

Detective Sergeant Alex Evans said: “The victim was subject to an extremely nasty attack where a weapon was used. The suspect is described as white, about 50 years old, with dark hair.”

Police released an e-fit, pictured of the suspect shortly after the incident.

2) On October 2 a man was standing at a bus stop opposite Lidl in Arundel Road, Brighton, when he was approached by two men.

They swore at him before one stabbed him in the face and ran off. The stab wound victim was treated in hospital. Nothing was stolen in the attack, which is believed to have been racially motivated.

3) Christopher Oral Brown, also known as Macho or Uncle, pictured, is wanted in connection with a drugs operation which took place between May and June 2009.

The 36-year-old, who is male but sometimes disguises himself as female, is wanted specifically on suspicion of offences relating to the supply of class A drugs in Worthing.

He is about 5ft 6in with a scar to the left of his face below his left ear, a scar on his right arm and his left eye is described as either squinting or drooping in a way that his eyelid almost covers his eye so that it appears almost closed.

4) John Levy, 38, pictured, is believed to have filled up his van at Tesco Express, Storrington, with £51 of diesel on January 28, 2009, before driving off without paying. He then is alleged to have had an argument with two work colleagues at a building site in Ravenscroft, Storrington, during which one of the victims’ jaws was broken.

Levy was arrested and interviewed by police but has disappeared after being bailed. Police are appealing for information as to his whereabouts, possibly in Southampton, Hampshire.

5) On July 15 at about midday, two males forced their way into a 92-year-old deaf woman’s ground floor flat in Saltdean, Brighton. It is believed they used a crow bar to force the door.

Inside the flat they searched the living room and bedroom stealing cash and jewellery. They were disturbed by the victim who, being deaf, had not heard them enter.

She was pushed out of her bedroom by one of the males while he continued to take items. They stole cash and jewellery before making off in a silver Peugeot.

6) Police want to speak to Simon Peter Knights, who is pictured and is linked forensically to a spate of burglaries in Barnham on June 16 this year.

He is believed to be travelling widely and has links to the Essex area. He is about 5ft 10in, aged 35 to 40, with medium blond hair.

7) Michael James Connor, aged 20 to 25, is linked forensically to car key burglaries in Horsham and Crawley in April this year. He is believed to be travelling widely, still committing burglaries. He is also wanted for failing to appear in court. He is about 5ft 10in and of medium build.

8) Arben Nuredini, 39, also known as Arben Alizoti, is pictured, and was jailed for seven years in 2004 for wounding. He absconded from Ford Open Prison in January 2005. Superintendent Lawrence Hobbs said: “We need the public's help to track him down and return him to custody.” He is about 5ft 6in tall.

9) Between February 8 and March 13 this year, a series of lockers were broken into in leisure centres in the Chichester area, where credit cards and driving licences were stolen. The suspect then phoned the victims in an attempt to obtain their PIN numbers. The suspect then used either the driving licences of the victims or the PIN numbers to get their money – more than £2,000 in one case.

He bought high-value items in the Chichester and Bognor area. He may be travelling around the country committing similar crimes and may be a suspect in similar offences. He always wears a dark-coloured flat cap.

10) Businesses in Bognor came together to help organise a charity fashion show in aid of a young girl suffering with a brain tumour.

On March 22 this year, at about 1.50pm, a man entered Stones Clothing in Bognor claiming to be a model for the fashion show. Stones had agreed to supply the models with clothing for the show so the store assistant helped him select several items of clothing worth more than £400. The man left the store but was not known by the organiser and did not appear at the fashion show.

He was about 5ft 10in with hair styled off to the side and shaved at the sides.

11) Mohammed Kasim Farook, pictured, is wanted on VAT fraud. He charged VAT to the value of £1.25 million on commercial properties after being de-registered. He was found guilty in his absence in 2013 and sentenced to two eight-year sentences, to run concurrently. A confiscation order has been issued for the revenue evaded. The estimated cost to the taxpayer is £1.25 million. He is between 55 and 60 and a UK citizen but may be in Pakistan.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Alasdair Henry said: “Crimestoppers can be a great way for us to gain information and intelligence.

“Sometimes people who are not keen to talk to the police, or to be seen talking with the police, are still keen to pass us information.

“Its system of rewards can encourage people to share what they know while they remain anonymous.”