B.O.S.S. launch crime-fighting campaign for fifth successive year

British Oil Security industry, B.O.S.S., the petrol station security watchdog, and Crimestoppers Trust have again, launched a petrol pump nozzle advertising campaign for January 2003 - the fifth year running.

Worth an estimated £250,000 the campaign aims to encourage customers to pass on information about any suspicious activities on petrol service stations to the anonymous Crimestoppers hotline - 0800 555 111 .   Over £50 million is lost each year as a result of crimes committed on petrol service stations throughout the UK.

Kevin Eastwood, executive director of B.O.S.S. says: "Our prime purpose is to protect people and we would ask members of the public to remain especially vigilant and if they witness any crime we would ask them to go to the police.   If people are afraid to do this then we would advise them to pass on their information anonymously via Crimestoppers."

Roy Clark, Director of Crimestoppers says: "We are pleased to be working with B.O.S.S again this year who have continued to provide tremendous support for Crimestoppers over the past five years.   We hope that this campaign will help in the fight against crime on petrol service stations."

The advertising campaign is taking place thanks to oil companies, which include Elf, Fina, Jet, Texaco, Total and Q8 and Alvern Forecourt Media Limited.

For further information, please contact:

Clare Barratt at Crimestoppers Trust: 020 8254 3230

Kevin Eastwood B.O.S.S. 01926 864757

Broad Communications Consultant: 01509 843308

Notes to editors:

B.O.S.S. was formed in 1991 by the oil industry in conjunction with the Petroleum Retailers Association (PRA), Home Office Crime Reduction College and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).   The aim of the organisation is to reduce the amount of

crime taking place on Britain's petrol stations.

The Crime fighting charity Crimestoppers was set up in 1988 to allow people to pass on information about crime anonymously via 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers has 31 different regions throughout the UK (including Scotland and Northern Ireland) and a board of volunteers supports each of these regions.