Community safety highlighted with new appeal for serious crime info in Sunny Hill, Derby

We are appealing for information and highlighting the damage done to communities and individual lives by crime gangs in Sunny Hill, Derby with a new campaign.
 
Serious organised crime has a major impact across communities as it typically involves weapons, violence and intimidation. It also includes County Lines gangs who exploit vulnerable young people and children to sell class A drugs. Human trafficking and money laundering are also issues.  

The exploitation of children and vulnerable adults in selling drugs in Sunny Hill is a real and immediate risk to our community with a number of out-of-town crime gangs actively targeting the local area. Anyone with information about those involved in serious crime is asked to speak up 100% anonymously by passing on what they know using our anonymous online form or by calling freephone 0800 555 111.

A similar three-month campaign in the Summer of 2019, which focused on the Austin Estate in Derby, resulted in:

• Nine arrests, five of whom had direct links to crime gangs
• Over £8,000 worth of drugs seized
• £4,000 in cash seized, believed to be the proceeds of crime
• 20 mobile phones believed to be used to run drug lines in the Austin Estate seized
• Two knives confiscated

Fearless.org - our youth service - is playing its part in the campaign as young people are encouraged to get online advice about crime and how to stay safe. They can also report their concerns anonymously via www.fearless.org.
 
The eight-week campaign, in partnership with Derbyshire Constabulary and Derby City Council, will use social media and leafleting to promote our unique service which guarantees anonymity to everyone who contacts us. The risks of the joint enterprise law will also be highlighted, which has seen people imprisoned for playing very different roles in a crime, including for being a by-stander.

We believe in helping communities stay safe we’re asking people to be on the lookout for suspicious activities and to pass on what they know about serious organised criminal gangs whilst staying 100% anonymous. Always.

“As a charity, we value safe communities which is why we are really keen to hear from people who are aware of those bringing serious crime to the area.

 

“We are asking people to keep their eyes peeled for suspicious behaviour such as someone not having a job but apparently living a lavish lifestyle; or a business that is cash only and yet rarely seems to trade or advertise their services.

“It is important to our charity that people also fully understand that carrying a weapon often leads to the carrier becoming a victim and that holding weapons for others has serious consequences.

“Crimestoppers gives people who feel unable to speak directly to police a voice to talk about what they know. In over 32 years since we began, we have always kept our promise of anonymity to the millions of people who have trusted us. Call 0800 555 111 or use our anonymous online form to tell us what you know. It could be your information, no matter how big or small, that makes a real difference in keeping people safe in Sunny Hill.”