By DAVID MACAULAY |247-7838- January 19, 2009
Crime seldom pays, but it's proving profitable for people with information on offenses.
Police believe the increased use of Crime Line, a number that allows
people to leave anonymous tips and to claim rewards up to $1,000 if the
information leads to an arrest, is putting a crack in the "no
snitching" culture that has impeded investigations in past years.
The number of arrests made on the Peninsula in 2008 following calls to
the 1-888-LOCK-U-UP number (1-888-562-5887) was the highest in 12
years. Calls to Crime Line allowed police to arrest 152 people in Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, York County, Williamsburg and James City County.
The total amount of money given out to callers last year — $35,575 — was also a 12-year high.
Fred Kern, immediate past president of Peninsula Crime Line Inc., a
nonprofit organization, said in recent years callers had allowed police
to crack bigger cases.
"We are getting more serious cases on a more routine basis than we got
a decade ago. We set a one-month record for awards approved, a little
over $7,500 in January '08," he said.
Crime Line calls led to the arrest of two homicide suspects in Newport
News — Darrel Rashawn Cruz, who is one of two men accused of the July
21 slaying of Ryan Seawright, 18, and Markese Leron Lewis, who was
charged with killing 15-year-old De'Myon Gathers on Oct. 15.
In Hampton, a Crime Line tip led to the arrest of Kyheim Delango Tucker
on Dec. 31. He has been charged with murder and other offenses related
to the killing of 19-year-old Lester A. Smith on Dec. 23.
"We are definitely getting more calls," said Harold Eley, a Newport News police spokesman and Crime Line coordinator.
In December $5,700 was paid out in Newport News alone and 12 people
were charged with 60 offenses. In total there were 77 Crime Line
related arrests in Newport News in 2008 and 325 charges, compared to 51
arrests and 115 charges in 2007. Rewards of $20,380 were given out last
year in the city, almost double the figure for 2007.
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Lou Thurston, another Newport News police spokesman, said Crime Line
appeared to be making a dent in the "no snitching" culture that has
been a problem in the past.
He said the 1-888-LOCK-U-UP number had become increasingly familiar and was now the second best-known phone number in Hampton Roads after 911.
"It gives people an opportunity to share information without the fear
of intimidation," said Newport News Police Chief James Fox, Friday.
"People don't have to worry about that. We are not involved in giving
out the money as the organization does that. Crime Line provides a
vital service for us. We would really like to see more members of the
business community supporting it."
Hampton police spokeswoman Cpl. Allison Good said 247 Crime Line calls were received in 2008, compared to 169 in 2007.
"The calls that we are getting are better calls. They are helping us solve more cases and make more arrests," Good said.
Although Crime Line tips led to fewer cases solved in Hampton last year
than in Newport News — 12 compared to 76 and 49 arrests compared to 77
in Newport News, according to Crime Line statistics — larger amounts of
stolen goods and drugs were recovered from tips in Hampton.
Crime Line calls led to the recovery of property valued at $7,300 and
$42,865 of drugs in Hampton and $6,552 in property and $1,920 in drugs
in Newport News.
In Poquoson 54 cases were solved from just 3 Crime Line calls. Kern
said anonymity is the "cornerstone" of the Crime Line program. He said
under Virginia legislation Crime Line records cannot be subpoenaed for court hearings.
The reward of up to $1,000 is contingent on an arrest. Kern said it has not gone up because of IRS tax laws.
"We can give out $1,000 cash reward without filing IRS tax laws. Over that we have to and we don't know who the individual is." |