Images of wanted people will be displayed on screens in a shopping centre, in a new initiative starting next week.

The digital screens will be placed in the Orchards Shopping Centre in Dartford from Tuesday June 25, with pictures of Kent Police's most wanted suspects displayed above shoppers throughout every day.

The scheme, launched by Crimestoppers and Kent Police, will see pictures rotate several times each hour, all day, every day.

The council say the project is aimed at ensuring criminals "think twice before coming into Dartford", knowing that their appearance may trigger calls and responses from people who recognise them from the screens.

Supporters hope the initiative will be rolled out across several other shopping centres and towns across the country.

Police Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott will be launching the initiative at 9am on Tuesday, June 25, at the Orchard Centre and will be joined by representatives from Dartford Borough Council, Dartford Town Against Crime (DTAC) and other members of Kent Police.

Peter Rolington, chair of Kent Crimestoppers said: “Crimestoppers is anonymous and therefore members of the public can rest assured that any information they give will be without fear of being identified. If we all play a part in fighting against crime then criminals will think twice about coming to Dartford.”

Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott, said: “Crimestoppers do fantastic work supporting Kent Police in bringing offenders to justice and screens like these, which my funding helps support, are proven to catch wanted people.

"We are sending a very clear message that Dartford town centre is no place for criminality. This is about residents, businesses, the council and the police all working together to ensure Kent remains a safe place to live, work and visit."

Council leader Jeremy Kite said: “Dartford Borough Council has worked well with Crimestoppers in the past and we take the view that it ought to be criminals who are nervous to be out and about in Dartford not decent people. We had no hesitation in supporting this pioneering initiative with Kent Police and Crimestoppers.”

Debbie Carey, Orchards Shopping Centre Manager and Chair of DTAC said: “This is a great achievement for The Orchards and Dartford town centre and should go a long way to assisting us all in reducing our stock loss figures, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage that we have to deal with on a day to day basis.”

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