Eliminating cable theft and minimising disruption top of priority for Crimestoppers and Openreach after extending partnership
The independent crime-fighting Charity Crimestoppers and Openreach, a BT Group business, have today reaffirmed their commitment to tackling cable theft and minimising disruption to communities after renewing their partnership for a fifth year.
The organisations have been working together since 2011 in a joint initiative to clampdown on criminals stealing cables from the Openreach network, which causes significant damage and disruption to local communities and businesses.
Cable theft remains a serious problem. It requires constant vigilance as the indiscriminate nature of attacks means that it is very hard to anticipate and prevent completely.
Crimestoppers received a total of 50 pieces of information in 2014-2015 relating to offences against the Openreach network, which supported law enforcement with two arrests.
Six rewards of up to £1,000 were offered for information that led to an arrest and successful conviction of those committing these offences in areas including London and the North East.
Openreach’s commitment to working with Crimestoppers was also solidified when the company’s CEO, Joe Garner, hosted the Charity’s annual rewarding partnerships event at the BT Tower in London, welcoming some of the third sector organisation’s most valued stakeholders.
Rodger Holden, Director of Business Development at Crimestoppers, said: “Crimestoppers and Openreach’s partnership continues to go from strength to strength and reaffirms our commitment to tackling an issue that can be highly disruptive to communities across the UK.
“Cable theft and damage to the network is an issue that doesn’t seem to want to go away, and through working with Openreach and the support of the public, we hope we can eradicate this problem and ensure businesses and communities do not have to suffer any longer.”
Bernie Auguste head of security for Openreach said: “Our business remains committed to tackling the scourge of cable theft and network damage which impacts on both our customers and our business.
“Our relationship with Crimestoppers is one of the many key elements in our strategy for addressing the problem and the involvement of the public has and continues to provide valuable information in identifying those who perpetrate these acts so that we can bring them to justice.”
If you have any information about anyone responsible for a cable theft or damage, please contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through the Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
- Crimestoppers is an independent charity which helps the police to solve crimes, making communities safer. It does this by operating the 24/7 telephone number 0800 555 111 which people can ring to pass on information about crimes anonymously. They can also use our ‘giving information’ form via our website www.crimestoppers-uk.org
- Around 17 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers
- Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, it has received over 1.6 million pieces of actionable information, resulting in over 132,000 arrests and charges. Over £131 million worth of goods has been recovered and over £325 million worth of drugs has been seized
- In 2005, Crimestoppers launched the UK’s Most Wanted on its website which allows the public to view images of criminals and pass on vital information about their whereabouts. It has been highly successful with over 3,300 arrests to date
- Crimestoppers UK was founded by Lord Ashcroft, KCMG PC, Chairman of Trustees. In 1988, he launched Crimestoppers in the Metropolitan Police area. Crimestoppers’ ‘call to action’ is built on a three-way partnership between the business community, the police and the media
