Independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers is today launching a new ‘Unknowns Gallery’ on its website.

‘Most Wanted’ is the only UK-wide online forum where individuals wanted by the police and other law enforcement bodies such as the National Crime Agency, HMRC and the UK Border Force can be found and information passed on about them anonymously by the public.

With suspects from this region listed, and crimes ranging from a fraud in Thetford to a stranger rape in Welwyn Garden City, (for which the charity is offering a reward of up to £3,000 for information), Crimestoppers is encouraging the public to view the images and pass on the information that they know.

Since its launch in 2005, Most Wanted has featured over 10,000 appeals resulting in over 2,600 arrests. The online hub receives around 35,000 views every month from the public and it is hoped this figure will further increase with the launch of the new section. Last year, there were 16 arrests of Most Wanted individuals in the eastern region.

The Unknowns Gallery will allow police and law enforcement users to upload images of individuals that they require names for – often taken from e-fits or CCTV stills. With the gallery searchable by both crime type and location, this should make it easier for the public to put names to these faces without having to reveal their own identity.

Crimestoppers’ regional manager, Ann Scott, said: “Most Wanted has proved to be a hugely beneficial service for law enforcement agencies and the UK public over the last nine years in helping locate wanted suspects and convicted criminals.

“The Unknowns Gallery will help to build on this platform with a view to improving arrest rates in all areas of crime and ultimately help to make those in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire a safer place to live.”

Crimestoppers takes information on all crime anonymously via 0800 555 111 or through the anonymous online form found at crimestoppers-uk.org. Both routes are 100 per cent anonymous – names are not taken, calls and IP addresses are not traced or recorded and people do not have to go to court.

Most Wanted, including the Unknowns Gallery, is fully optimised for all mobile devices.

Visit crimestoppers-uk.org/unknownsuspects