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Crimebusters shun rewards
Tasmanian Murcury
By GEORGIA WARNER By GEORGIA WARNER
04jul01
COMMUNITY mindedness has left Tasmania's Crime Stoppers organisation with a huge pool of unpaid reward money.
Fewer than 100 rewards have been paid to people whose information has led to the arrest of lawbreakers since Crime Stoppers started in Tasmania in 1994.
That is despite Crime Stoppers receiving 12,583 tip-offs over the same period of time, resulting in 585 arrests and 850 people being charged.
Stolen property worth $500,000 has also been recovered, about $1 million in vandalism has been prevented and drugs worth $1.7 million have been seized.
Crime Stoppers chairman Brian Aherne said the independent and anonymous crime prevention program was reward-based.
He said anyone who provided tip-offs that resulted in an offender being charged could apply for a payment, usually between $100 and $500.
But Mr Aherne said Tasmanians were too community minded to come forward.
"It is the community spirit," he said.
"People do not seek to claim a reward."
That spirit was exemplified when Crime Stoppers posted a reward of up to $10,000 for information about a spate of fires that were deliberately lit around Clarendon Vale on a total fire ban day in February.
"Some people came forward with information about some children lighting fires," Mr Aherne said.
"Police followed that information up and a couple of youngsters were charged.
"But nobody has come forward to claim a reward."
Mr Aherne said it was not too late for the crime-solving public to approach Crime Stoppers for their rewards, even if their information was provided years ago.
They need only contact the toll-free number on 1800005555 and quote the code number they were given when they provided their tip-off.
Code numbers are used in place of names and contact details, ensuring anonymity for anyone who phones the service.
Mr Aherne said Crime Stoppers was "well endowed" with money at the moment.
This was not only because the organisation had paid out just 95 rewards since 1994, 18 of them this year.
Mr Aherne said Crime Stoppers enjoyed generous support from its major sponsor Chickenfeed and other community minded organisations.
The pool of money will not go to waste.
Mr Aherne said as well as meeting administrative costs, sponsorship allowed Crime Stoppers to undertake important new crime prevention projects, and some initiatives were in the pipeline this year.
"We are looking at producing an education kit ... and website ... for high school students to show them what a life of crime is like, and also about what Crime Stoppers does," he said.
Anyone who has information about a crime is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800005555.
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We are the Police! Resistance is Futile!
Tasmanian Murcury
By GEORGIA WARNER By GEORGIA WARNER
04jul01
COMMUNITY mindedness has left Tasmania's Crime Stoppers organisation with a huge pool of unpaid reward money.
Fewer than 100 rewards have been paid to people whose information has led to the arrest of lawbreakers since Crime Stoppers started in Tasmania in 1994.
That is despite Crime Stoppers receiving 12,583 tip-offs over the same period of time, resulting in 585 arrests and 850 people being charged.
Stolen property worth $500,000 has also been recovered, about $1 million in vandalism has been prevented and drugs worth $1.7 million have been seized.
Crime Stoppers chairman Brian Aherne said the independent and anonymous crime prevention program was reward-based.
He said anyone who provided tip-offs that resulted in an offender being charged could apply for a payment, usually between $100 and $500.
But Mr Aherne said Tasmanians were too community minded to come forward.
"It is the community spirit," he said.
"People do not seek to claim a reward."
That spirit was exemplified when Crime Stoppers posted a reward of up to $10,000 for information about a spate of fires that were deliberately lit around Clarendon Vale on a total fire ban day in February.
"Some people came forward with information about some children lighting fires," Mr Aherne said.
"Police followed that information up and a couple of youngsters were charged.
"But nobody has come forward to claim a reward."
Mr Aherne said it was not too late for the crime-solving public to approach Crime Stoppers for their rewards, even if their information was provided years ago.
They need only contact the toll-free number on 1800005555 and quote the code number they were given when they provided their tip-off.
Code numbers are used in place of names and contact details, ensuring anonymity for anyone who phones the service.
Mr Aherne said Crime Stoppers was "well endowed" with money at the moment.
This was not only because the organisation had paid out just 95 rewards since 1994, 18 of them this year.
Mr Aherne said Crime Stoppers enjoyed generous support from its major sponsor Chickenfeed and other community minded organisations.
The pool of money will not go to waste.
Mr Aherne said as well as meeting administrative costs, sponsorship allowed Crime Stoppers to undertake important new crime prevention projects, and some initiatives were in the pipeline this year.
"We are looking at producing an education kit ... and website ... for high school students to show them what a life of crime is like, and also about what Crime Stoppers does," he said.
Anyone who has information about a crime is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800005555.
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We are the Police! Resistance is Futile!
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