Anslow officers following up several Crimewatch calls

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OFFICERS trying to track down escaped prisoner John Anslow have said they are following up several leads generated by last night's televised appeal on Crimewatch.

The programme featured pictures of Anslow and the silver Volkswagen Scirocco, which was was used by the three masked men who attacked the prison van to spring the 31-year-old.

The dangerous inmate, who had been charged with the murder of Richard Deakin last week, escaped after the ambush at around 8.20am on Monday (January 23) in Hewell Lane, Tardebigge.

Anslow was being taken to Stafford Crown Court when the incident happened and it is thought, after driving away in the Scirocco, the men switched to a silver Mercedes C-Class, which had the partial registration number KR11. A similar model was also shown on Crimewatch.

Staffordshire Police are offering a £10,000 reward for information that leads to Anslow’s arrest and return to prison.

Det Supt Martin Evans, who is leading the investigation, said: “We have received several calls into the incident room this evening and detectives have already begun to examine the latest information.

“Our dedicated team of detectives will now follow up these lines of inquiry.

"We’d already had over 60 calls from across the country prior to Crimewatch so the response from the public has been really encouraging.

“We remain determined to catch Anslow and are continuing to liaise with other forces and agencies nationwide.

"Our officers are working closely with colleagues at West Mercia and West Midlands police forces.

“We want to speak to anyone who knows where Anslow might be.

There’s obviously a possibility that he’s travelled abroad or may be planning to do so.

"If this is the case, there will be people who know about it and we want to speak to them."

He added he hoped the £10,000 reward would entice anyone who knew anything to come forward and reassured the public that all calls would be treated with the strictest confidence.

Anyone with information should call the dedicated incident room on 01785 235051 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A 44-year-old man was arrested on Monday evening on suspicion of assisting an offender.

He has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Anyone who sees Anslow should not approach him and dial 999 immediately.