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Crimestoppers the independent charity is urging residents in Ashington, Northumberland to pass on anonymous information on criminals behind violence, drugs and intimidation

Today (Monday 1st February 2021), Crimestoppers is launching a new campaign urging the people of Ashington in Northumberland to speak up anonymously to help protect their community, tell our charity about local criminals who cause misery and pain.

Within Ashington, there are a number of people who are making residents lives miserable. They control the local drug trade and are involved in intimidation using violence with weapons. They also recruit and exploit children and young people from the local area to be drug runners. Younger people are easier to bully and intimidate, but sadly their futures are often ruined as a consequence of being involved in crime.

The campaign aims to let the people of Ashington know that they can do something to stop this and that they do have a way of tackling these violent criminals safely and anonymously. By contacting the charity Crimestoppers, they can pass on any information and no one will ever know.

They can also claim a reward of up to £1,000 for any information given to Crimestoppers that leads to an arrest and charge.

Ruth McNee, North East Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “No one should live in fear, and no one should have to worry about children and young people within their communities being exploited and used by criminals. I want everyone in Ashington to know that they do have a safe option to report crime – that they can tell our charity and stay completely anonymous. 

“We know that people fear being thought of, or labelled, a grass. But by telling us, that cannot happen as no one will ever know. I would also ask people is it really being a grass to try and save a person’s life? If you know something that might save somebody’s daughter, or stop someone’s son from being injured, is that being a grass? If someone else knew something that could save a member of your family from pain, and they could do that safely with no one ever knowing, would you want them to do that? 

“Crimestoppers believes in safe communities and when you contact our charity, we won’t judge or ask any personal details. All we want to know is what you know. We guarantee, like millions of people before you who have trusted our service, that you’ll remain 100% anonymous. Always.”

If you have any information or suspect organised crime and County Lines with vulnerable young people and adults being exploited by criminal gangs, please tell Crimestoppers what you know. You can speak up 100% anonymously by calling the 24/7 UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111 or use the completely anonymous online form.

Please note: computer IP addresses are never traced and no-one will ever know you contacted us. For telephone calls, there is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and  calls are never traced.