The Environment Agency is appealing to people in Havering to report suspected environmental crimes through the Crimestoppers telephone line.

This is a pilot until the end of January to see if the agency can encourage more people come forward, safe in the knowledge that their calls will be completely anonymous.

Laura Whitehead, environment agency senior crime analyst, said: “The Environment Agency gathers evidence in an intelligence led way, analysing all the information we receive on environmental crime to see where there are patterns and trends and where crime hotspots are emerging.

“However, we are only as good as the information we receive from members of the public, who can act as our eyes and ears on the ground every day. “Environmental crime not only harms the environment and its communities but also has a dramatic impact on legitimate, law abiding businesses. We are proud to be working in partnership with Crimestoppers to stamp out environmental crime.”

Dave Cording, Crimestoppers’ deputy chief executive said: “Environmental crime can be harmful to animals, unsightly and expensive to clean up and have a real impact on people’s lives.

“This new initiative will allow people to pass on information about environmental crime anonymously, and enable us to help the Environment Agency bring successful prosecutions against those who flout the law and bring misery to people and damage the environment.”

Crimestoppers guarantees that:

You will never be asked for your name

Your call will not be recorded

Your call or online form will not be traced

You will not have to make a statement

You will not appear in court

There are certain areas of environmental crime that the Environment Agency is particularly interested, including:

Large scale illegal dumping of waste (more than two large skips worth of waste).

The illegal export of waste tyres, waste electrical equipment, and municipal waste

Eel and elver poaching

Fish theft and illegal fish stocking

To report live incidents of environmental crime people can still call the EA Incident Line 0800 80 70 60 24hrs a day 7 days a week.

If you have information on these areas and you want to report anonymously please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or alternatively use the online form at https://secure.crimestoppers-uk.org/ams.form.anonymous.asp