8am:Crimewatch viewers will be able to shop criminals by text message through a new confidential service.
Crimewatch viewers will be able to shop criminals by text message through a new confidential service.

The BBC1 programme has teamed up with Audiocall, which provides audience participation technology and is part of the corporation's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide.

Viewers can text the programme to give information about crimes, which is then kept on a secure database and can be used by detectives investigating the crimes.

The programme makers hope being able to send a discrete text rather than phone will encourage more people to come forward with information, and will help attract a younger audience.

"We're always looking at new ways to engage viewers with efforts to match criminals to crimes. Texting gives us another string to that bow," said Crimewatch editor Doug Carnegie.