Crimestoppers helpline helps secure 100,000th arrest
The Crimestoppers charity has revealed it has helped to secure the arrests of 100,000 suspects since its formation in 1988.
Its telephone helpline has been used to pass on vital information about crime to police forces across the country.
The milestone figure was reached when a Durham man was arrested on suspicion of burglary earlier this week.
The charity's founder Lord Ashcroft said the public had embraced the hard work Crimestoppers did.
Everyday an average of 21 people are arrested thanks to information passed on to Crimestoppers.
Since 1988, 887 people have been charged with murder or attempted murder, while £189m worth of drugs have been seized because of the helpline.
More than 9,200 arrests and charges have been made in Manchester and London, with a record 7,474 taking place in 2009.
Crimestoppers has enjoyed a number of high profile successes over the last 22 years.
One such success was the capture of the M25 rapist, Antoni Imiela, after a year-long hunt by police.
The former rail worker, from Appledore, Kent, bound, gagged and beat his victims, aged between 10 and 52, while subjecting them to sexual assaults.
The police investigation into the crimes involved about 350 police officers from six forces and cost more than £2m.
But a phone call to Crimestoppers led to police being able to put a name to Imiela's e-fit.
In 2004, the 49-year-old received seven life sentences for each of the rapes and a further 29 years for kidnap, indecent assault and attempted rape.
Sir Hugh Orde, of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said the work the charity did was extremely valuable.
He said: "Their appeals make a tangible difference to policing by allowing those with critical information to pass it on to the police anonymously."
Anyone with information about a crime can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org