UK police unveil most-wanted themed advent calendar

Essex Police have divided opinion after releasing a digital Christmas advent calendar with a countdown of suspects.

For each day in December, a most-wanted criminal is revealed on the police force’s Facebook page.

Some social media users have slammed the idea, calling it “inappropriate.”

“I understand and support the posts in social media to catch criminals I find it so very distasteful that you are using an “advent calendar” which in my mind is associated with a happy festive time, to promote your posts to catch wanted criminals,” Sarah Mahoney wrote.

Another added: “It’s a bit creepy to associate a hunt for criminals with an advent calendar.”

However, the majority of commenters praised Essex Police for their creative idea and humour.

“I think it gets people attention which it’s clearly done. These criminals ruin people’s Christmas so why not just support the police and share the post.”

More than 200 people have ‘liked’ Day One of the advent calendar since it was posted on the first of December.