Police enlist Facebook to trace killer
Detectives investigating the murder of Jo Yeates, a landscape architect from Bristol, are turning to Facebook in an attempt to crack a case which has so far flummoxed those investigating the crime.
An advert placed on the site links directly to the website of Avon and Somerset Police and provides contact details for members of the public to share information pertaining to the case with officers by making the police more approachable.
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones said: “This advert allows us to point people to special features on our website with all the latest information, it allows them to contact the incident room direct online rather than calling in.”
The case highlights how police now regard social media as a more effective platform for public appeals than traditional poster and leaflet campaigns.
Since its launch the campaign has been viewed 18,000 times whilst a Youtube compilation of CCTV clips has attracted 70,000 views.
These have specifically led to 260 direct messages to the incident room.