Crimestoppers Renews Partnership with imabi to Strengthen Anonymous Crime Reporting in the UK

For nearly four decades, Crimestoppers has been a trusted avenue for the UK public to report crime anonymously, 24/7, all year round. This essential service empowers individuals to speak up about criminal activity without fear of exposure, helping to solve cases, prevent future crimes and make communities safer. In November 2024, Crimestoppers renewed its partnership with imabi for a second year, reinforcing its shared commitment to public safety through innovative technology.

imabi is the safeguarding platform behind the British Transport Police’s award-winning Railway Guardian app and this collaboration with Crimestoppers continues to expand its impact. Through this partnership, imabi users gain seamless access to Crimestoppers’ anonymous reporting service directly within the platform. By eliminating the need to switch to an external browser, which could leave traces in browsing history and incorporating features like a “quick exit” button, imabi ensures that individuals can report crimes discreetly and without fear of being identified.

Ruth McNee, Head of Business Development and Fundraising at Crimestoppers, emphasised the importance of the partnership:

"Our work with imabi enables us to reach even more people with our unique anonymous reporting service. Together, we are breaking down barriers to speaking up about crime and creating safer communities across the UK. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this partnership continues to have."

With nearly 700,000 reports received annually, Crimestoppers is seeing a growing demand for safe, anonymous reporting methods. By embedding Crimestoppers’ services into the Railway Guardian app imabi is helping to meet that demand while making it easier than ever for individuals to speak up.

imabi: Safeguarding at Scale

imabi’s partnership with Crimestoppers is just one example of how the platform is driving innovation in safeguarding. As the technology powering Railway Guardian, imabi has already seen significant success, with a 51% increase in reporting on the app since its launch. Beyond the railways, imabi integrates safeguarding tools into various sectors through tailored products like:

imabi Inspire: Designed for schools and educators to help protect students

imabi Pro: A workplace safety solution supporting businesses and managers.

imabi Guardian: A dedicated app aimed at tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG).

These tools are underpinned by imabi’s core mission: to create safer, more secure communities for everyone, everywhere. By offering real-time, anonymous reporting functions and a user-friendly experience, imabi is enabling people to take action against harmful behaviours, whether in public spaces, at work, or within educational settings.

Mark Balaam, CEO and Founder of imabi, reflected on the impact of the Crimestoppers partnership:

“Everyone has the right to feel safe and our partnership with Crimestoppers plays an important role in achieving that goal. By providing a trusted, anonymous reporting option directly within our platform, we’re empowering more people to speak up. Whether it’s witnessing criminal behaviour or knowing about criminal activity, our platform provides a safe, accessible way for individuals to report without fear.”

A Shared Vision for Safer Communities

This renewed partnership comes during a pivotal moment for imabi, which has recently been recognised internationally for its social impact initiatives. imabi was shortlisted for the 2024 ESG & Sustainability Awards in the category of Best ESG Campaign or Case Study to Improve Gender Equality for its Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) awareness campaign, run in partnership with White Ribbon UK. This campaign, which focuses on challenging harmful behaviours and creating safer environments for women and girls, aligns closely with both imabi’s and Crimestoppers’ missions.

Together, these organisations are working to ensure that reporting crime is never a barrier but a gateway to safer communities. Through technology and partnerships, imabi and Crimestoppers are helping to protect the vulnerable, encourage accountability and drive meaningful change across the UK.