Wanted Newcastle fugitive found in Walkerville dumpster

On Wednesday (August 30), an off-duty officer spotted a fugitive wanted for criminal damage getting out of a taxi near Chillingham Road tube station, near Byker, Newcastle.

The officer quickly raised the alarm, and although the suspect made his way to the Appletree Gardens area, officers soon found him hiding in a trash can. The 25-year-old man was subsequently arrested and taken into custody.

Almost exactly a month ago, police released the images of 15 men, each wanted in connection with crimes in the northeast.

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Officers appealed to the public for information and have since been successful – ten suspects have been arrested, thanks in part to information provided by the public.

The officer quickly raised the alarm, and although the suspect made his way to the Appletree Gardens area, officers soon found him hiding in a trash can. He was subsequently arrested and taken into custody.

He was joined by a 39-year-old refugee who had been wanted for release from prison since May 2021.

But the net around him finally tightened last week when officers found him hiding in the attic of a flat in Wallsend.

Only five remain on Northumbria Police’s wanted list. (Image: Northumbria Police)

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Of the ten suspects successfully arrested last month, three have been charged with offenses and are facing trial, four have been returned to prison and three remain on police bail.

Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Metcalfe, head of Northumbria Police’s crime branch, said: “I would like to thank the public who have helped us take ten of our key targets into custody – and we have already received important information about some of them.” that remain outstanding.

“We are now determined to locate the remaining five men and would like to ask everyone to help us maintain this momentum by letting us know if you have seen them.

“If you know where any of these five refugees are, we want to know. I would also like to remind everyone that harboring a wanted suspect is a criminal offense, which can result in a prison sentence.

“If you remain on our wanted list, I would advise you to turn yourself in as soon as possible.”

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The remaining suspects believed to be attempting to evade arrest are:

• John Armstrong, 45, of Newbiggin Hall, is wanted for recall from prison
• Callum Cross, 21, from Newcastle, is wanted for failure to appear
• Gareth Downey, 36, who has links to Sunderland and Newcastle, is wanted in connection with a robbery
• Jack Gaffney, 25, who has links to Wallsend, Cramlington & Ashington, is wanted in connection with a burglary
• John Hall, 35, from Houghton-le-Spring, is wanted in connection with a burglary

Anyone with information about any of the suspects pictured is asked to contact police immediately via the “Tell us something” page on our website, quoting “wanted campaign”.