Success follows Facebook appeal
Police in North Down have demonstrated the power social networking sites have in identifying criminals after an appeal through its Facebook page led to the recovery of stolen property.
After a bike was reported stolen by a pupil at Redburn Primary school on Friday 5 March, police began their initial investigation. After receiving unconfirmed reports of sightings of the bicycle close to the area, it was decided to widen the appeal by placing a notice on the PSNI Holywood Facebook page.
The page has already attracted over 130 fans, so it wasn't long before someone pointed the investigating team in the right direction. The result was the bicycle was recovered at a property in the area on Monday.
Inspector Bobby Singleton said: "To recover the bike was extremely rewarding. As a progressive Policing Service, it is important to exhaust all available methods to help solve crime. The PSNI Holywood Facebook page has become very popular very quickly, making it an extremely worthwhile resource within the local community. It also highlights the effectiveness of good Neighbourhood Policing and positive interaction between the public and police.
"The public response was very pleasing and shows the great community spirit that has help make Holywood the safest place to live in Northern Ireland. With other Police areas using social networking sites to help with investigations, hopefully cases like this will become the norm."
For more information on PSNI Holywood or to become a fan, please see http://www. Facebook .com/pages/PSNI-Holywood/350171741513
