Unheralded Crime Stoppers program gets results

Crime Stoppers. It's no “America's Most Wanted.”

It's better.

The reward-based program that relies on anonymous tipsters might lack the pizazz of TV's “Most Wanted,” but consider this:

Since the Illinois chapter formed in 1983, tipsters have provided enough information to solve 73,988 cases.

“Look at the stats. 'America's Most Wanted' has its own program and has had a national recognition for many years,” said William Nation, president of the state chapter. “We will solve 10 to 20 times the crimes they do, and no one knows about it. If that doesn't say it works, I don't know what does.”

Consider this, too:

Last year, McHenry County received 121 anonymous tips. Of those, only six panned out to produce rewards, which go up to $1,000. But a real dividend came earlier this month. On consecutive days, authorities received tips that led to the arrests of the third- and fifth-most wanted men in the county.

“That's the beauty of the whole program,” said McHenry County Sheriff's Deputy Aimee Knope, the department's Crime Stoppers liaison. “You never know if you'll be calling in with the last piece of information investigators need to crack a case.”

The McHenry sheriff's department is among 60 Illinois law enforcement agencies using Crime Stoppers as one more tool to fight crime. Its success stems from the anonymity it promises. The money doesn't hurt, of course, but in many ways the program works because of man's inherent goodness.

It doesn't always work that way. Sometimes, it's a matter of criminals turning in other criminals.

Early beginnings

Crime Stoppers began in 1976 when investigators were desperate to solve an armed robbery and murder in Albuquerque, N.M.

After several weeks with no leads, Albuquerque detectives teamed up with a local television station to request anonymous information about the murder. A cash reward was offered, too. Detectives even asked the TV station to broadcast a re-enactment of the crime.

The station did, and the next morning police received a call from a young man who witnessed the crime. He also provided police with valuable information that led to cracking other local crimes.

Buoyed by this success, the program grew, and today there are 1,400 Crime Stoppers programs in 16 countries.

Nation said the program thrives because tipsters may remain anonymous. That's important, he says, because people want to do the right thing.

“I truly believe a large majority of the people believe in right over wrong and are just reluctant to get involved,” Nation said. “This just gives them the vehicle to send information to the police without worrying about retribution.”

Make things better

Crime Stoppers started as a telephone hotline. Today's technology allows tipsters to keep their anonymity through email and texting. In most cases, the electronic tips are routed to a company in Texas, which sends them to Canada where all traceable data is scrubbed before the info is routed to the appropriate law enforcement department. And it all happens in seconds.

Phone calls remain the most common way tips come in, but some people misunderstand the system. Arlington Heights police receive about 35 tips a year, some from callers who should be dialing 911 instead.

“We established a hotline number where people call in tips, but we emphasize this is not a substitute for 911,” Sgt. Tom Saleski said. “If someone sees something in progress, we really hammer that they need to call 911 and tell the dispatcher that they wish to remain anonymous.”

When a tip pans out, especially in felony cases, the person reporting the information becomes eligible for the maximum reward of $1,000, though few rewards are more than a couple hundred dollars.

Callers reporting a tip are assigned a random case number and a separate number to call to check the status of the case. If it has been solved, callers are notified they are eligible for a reward and given instructions on how to proceed.

“Most people don't even need to call back because they usually know the person they're reporting and whether they've been arrested,” Nation said. “You'd be surprised how many of these tips are one drug dealer ratting out another just to keep the competition down.”

Another surprise: Many callers, perhaps up to 90 percent, will forgo the reward.

“They'll call and tell us about a drug house or a problem area and then hang up before they even get the code,” Saleski said. “They don't want the money. They just want us to fix the problem and make everything better.”

Less than $1,000

Once a case has been solved, or an arrest made, the liaison officer at the corresponding department often will provide details of the case to the local Crime Stoppers board meeting. There, members decide how much the tip was worth, based on a formula that takes into account how many arrests resulted from the tip, the volume of drugs or money confiscated and the severity of the crime.

Though the Crime Stoppers tagline often reads, “A reward up to $1,000 is being offered for the information that leads to an arrest in this incident,” Nation and others say a $1,000 payout is rare.

“A homicide case or a really significant drug seizure may result in reaching that $1,000 amount, but often the rewards are significantly less,” McHenry County's Knope said. “But it's better than nothing. You get to keep yourself private, and you're helping officers help your community.”

The handoff

To receive a reward, the tipster has several options. One is to meet a Crime Stoppers official in a remote location for the handoff. Tipsters also can have the money left in a local bank or with a member of the clergy.

Local agencies say the in-person handoff is most popular.

“We'll give the person a code number and tell them I'll be in a certain car, parked in a specific space in the Wal-Mart parking lot and to meet me between 3 and 3:15 p.m.,” Nation said. “They roll up, give me the code, I pass the envelope, and we go on our way.”

Saleski also prefers to deliver the payment in person.

“If they want a check, cash or have their picture in the newspaper, we'll take care of it,” he said. “Most want to remain anonymous, so they'll arrange a time and place where I can give them a cash payout.”

Nation said he prefers not to leave the payment envelope at the bank.

“If that's what they want, I'll do it, and we tell them to go to the farthest drive-up lane and send the code to the teller,” Nation said. “But I'd rather not put someone in that situation. There's cameras everywhere at a bank.”

In 25 years, Nation said, he's never had a handoff go bad.

“I've paid out criminals, people I know, and people I don't know. It doesn't matter,” he said. “As long as you respect the program and honor its demand for privacy, it's going to work.”

The program relies on fundraising efforts and tenacity of the local organizations to work. Nearly all programs host annual bowling and golf fundraisers, but Nation said it is also up to local chapters and police departments to seek money from the court system.

“Crime Stoppers can recover a portion of a felon's court fees, but it's up to each department to pursue those dollars,” Nation said. “They need to take those cases to the prosecutors and ask them to seek to recover $10 or $20 from the court fees.”

Saleski said Arlington Heights frequently seeks that money. It's worth it.

“Crime Stoppers will give you results, maybe not in sheer volume, but it's one more thing that helps,” he said. “It's not the end-all to crime, but it contributes to resolution of crimes.

“You compare it to a tool in a tool belt. You may not use it very often but if you're successful when you do use it, you want to hang on to it. And I think that's the case here. When people work with the system, it's contributed in a valuable way.”

Crime Stoppers results

<b>Codes issued</b>: 1,226 283,161

<b>Cases solved</b>: 1,563 73,988

<b>Arrests made</b>: 370 118,905

<b>Property recovered</b>: $412,202 $153,930,159

<b>Rewards paid</b>: $44,830 $6,428,851

<b>Tips net two big McHenry Co. suspects</b>

McHenry County sheriff's officials saw the Crime Stoppers program pay off big time this month.

On June 4, authorities located two fugitives within a one-hour period, based on anonymous tips they received the previous Thursday and Friday. The men were the third- and fifth-most wanted suspects in the county.

Jeremiah B. Pedersen of Woodstock failed to appear for a May 24 court date on multiple felony drug and aggravated battery charges, according to the sheriff's office. U.S. Marshals and sheriff's deputies learned from a tip that Pedersen might be living in the Schaumburg area. He was taken into custody in South Barrington.

Robert M. Gude, 33, of Huntley, was wanted on two counts of criminal sexual assault. He was arrested in St. Charles, also thanks to a tip.