MOST WANTED: Readers help police's Christmas crackdown

Hampshire Constabulary appealed for help in tracing their most wanted dozen so they could deliver an unwelcome present – a visit from the police.

Today we can reveal that so far five of those have been found by officers and where necessary are being dealt with by the courts or sent back to prison.

But the search doesn’t stop there, as police in the city have vowed to continue their searches in the new year until all 12 have been located and dealt with.

Jamie Close, 27, of Lydgate Road, in Thornhill, has been found and is being held in police custody until he appears at Southampton Magistrates’ Court in January, for failing to appear for a breach of an antisocial behaviour order.

Billy Collins, 27, of Briton Street, Southampton, who was wanted for failing to appear at court for driving offences was taken into police custody and appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court.

While Colin Wood, 33, of Westcliff Mews, in Woolston, had been on the most wanted list for stealing meat from the Co-op store on Fair Oak Road, in Eastleigh on December 3. He has now been charged and appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court.

And Clinton Webb, 51, from Briarswood, in Coxford, faces the new year behind bars after he was found, having been on the list for recall to prison.

Another on the list, Hassan Skeikh, had been wanted on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, but that case is no longer under investigation.

Chief Inspector Debbie Masson said: “We were really pleased to successfully sweep up four of our wanted people and our efforts to locate the remaining suspects will continue into the new year. We will not rest until they have all been found.

“We’d like to thank the Daily Echo readers for the wealth of information they provided to us.

“Any information you can provide, no matter how small, can assist us in bringing offenders to justice and we hope that you will continue to help us throughout 2015 by keeping an eye out for our appeals and reporting suspicious behaviour.”

STILL WANTED BY THE POLICE:

Robert Yeo, 32, from Landguard Road, in Shirley: wanted by police investigating a burglary at Sainsbury’s, in West End Road, in Bitterne, which occurred overnight on September 30, 2014. Nothing was stolen. Crime reference number: 44140354419

Conor Gray, 22, from Tedder Way in Totton: wanted by officers investigating a robbery on Redcar Street, in Southampton, on November 8, 2014. The victim, a 37-year-old man was assaulted and his phone and wallet stolen. Crime reference number: 44140402035

Luke West also known as Luke McMann, 23, from Dinham Road, in New Milton: wanted by police investigating a report of threats to life in November 2014. Crime reference number: 44140419379

Leo O’Dell, 33, from Warburton Road, in Thornhill: wanted for failing to appear at court having been charged with theft from a person Crime reference number: 44140084254

Roy James, also known as Tony Decieco, 41, from Mansel Road West, in Millbrook: wanted on suspicion of assault, criminal damage and violence to secure entry, following a domestic incident in Shirley, in April 2014. Crime reference number: 44140151427

Madison Geddes, 20, from Chiltern Green, in Millbrook: wanted for failing to appear at court for sentencing after pleading guilty for drug related offences.Crime reference number: 44130176444

Stephen Pharoah, 39, from Abercrombie Gardens, in Coxford: wanted by police investigating two thefts, one from a house in Shirley, in August 2014 and the other from a house in Bitterne, in October 2014. Crime reference number: 44140295655

UPDATE: Mr Pharoah handed himself into police in the days following this appeal and admitted three charges of theft and one of fraud, and was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison.