Fugitive spotted putting on a bet in city bookmaker’s
Police have thanked the public for their help after six wanted fugitives were returned to jail – and hope more support will see remaining rogues on the run tracked down.
Northumbria Police released the images in May of a dozen offenders who were all wanted on prison recall after breaching their licence.
Officers said in the month that followed, a flurry of calls came from residents who passed on key information abouttheirwhereabouts–and sixofthosehavesincebeenarrested or handed themselves in voluntarily.
They were each returned to prison.
Superintendent Paul Milner, of Northumbria Police said one crook was spotted having a flutter in a bookies in Sunderland, while another wantedmalebrazenlywalked past Forth Banks Police StationinNewcastle–resultingin a short walk to a custody cell.
Othercallsincludedgiving one of the men ‘the shock of his life’ when officers turned up at a house in South Shields and gratefully met him at the door.
Now police are hoping to maintain the momentum by recirculatingtheimagesofthe six outstanding fugitives and have asked the public to pull together once more to assist their search.
The men who remain outstanding and who are evading arrest are:
:: Craig Murray 31, of Sunderland
:: David Wilson, 42, of Sunderland
:: Mark Thompson, 37, of Jarrow
:: Lee Ferguson, 36, of Wallsend
:: Peter Laws, 38, of Newcastle
::JackQuinn,25,ofnofixed abode, formerly of Gateshead
Superintendent Paul Milner, of Northumbria Police, said: “We are delighted with the response since our appeal to the public last month regarding these fugitives.
“We received a number of calls from communities across Northumbria with possible sightings and a list of addresses where they may be staying in a bid to lay low.
“Sixofourlong-termwantedsuspectshavesincebeenlocated, with four arrested and the other two handing themselves in voluntarily after seeing their pictures posted across social media.
“The net is tightening on theseoutstandingsixmenand I am today recirculating their pictures in another push for information from the public.
“We are continuing to search various addresses in a bid to locate them, and it is only a matter of time before they are found and returned to prison.
"I would ask these six men to do the right thing and hand themselves in at the nearest opportunity,aswellasremind peoplethatharbouringafugitive is a criminal offence that could result in you receiving a prison sentence.
“We are passionate about thecommunitiesweserveand would like to thank you all for your ongoing support.
"By working together, we can continue to detect and disrupt criminal activity and ensuretheNorthEastremains a safe place to live and work.”
Anyone with information about any of the men pictured are asked to call 101 quoting log 349 270521 or via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the Northumbria Police website.
Alternatively you can pass on information via independent charity Crimestoppers anonymouslybyringing0800 555 111.