Story highlights
Europol steps up effort to catch most wanted fugitives
Hopes new calendar will spark public's attention
It’s an Advent calendar – but this isn’t one the kids will be rushing to open.
Forget chocolates; it’s criminals that are on show in Europol’s festive offering with 60 of the most wanted adorning this year’s edition.
Murderers. Kidnappers. Terrorists. And there’s seasonal music to accompany the rogues’ gallery.
According to Europol, “all of them are convicted or suspected of extremely serious crimes.”
It added: “They have killed or irreversibly changed their victims’ lives. All of these criminals are on the run, fleeing from responsibility and punishment.
“This makes it difficult for their victims, their friends and relatives to find closure. Let’s help them and make everyone’s festive season safer by locking these criminals up before the holidays begin.”
No.1 on the calendar is 60-year-old Austrian Tibor Foco who is wanted for murder.
Europol says he shot a prostitute in the head in 1986 and then escaped from prison on a motorcycle while on special leave.
It says Foco has been on the run for 21 years and has been sentenced to life in prison.
December 2 belongs to Ukrainian Sergey Filipov Georgiev who is wanted for murder.
The 55-year-old is wanted for killing a Bulgarian in Ukraine in 2011.
According to Europol, the victim’s throat was slit and he was repeatedly stabbed during the “savage knife attack.”
The campaign, which started on December 1 in 23 countries across Europe, aims to find fugitives with the help of the public.
Europol says nine out of the current 24 arrests from the most wanted list were achieved through media awareness and tips from the public.