Crime Stoppers Looking For A Downtown Thief

By: Liz Lane
Published: September 08, 2011
Updated: September 08, 2011 - 11:39 PM »  Comments | Post a Comment COLUMBUS, Ohio --

Central Ohio Crime Stoppers needs the public’s help in a theft that happened at a Downtown business.

On Thursday, Aug. 18, a man walked into the Astor and Black Custom Suit business at 81 S. 5th St. by prying open the deadbolt to the front door.

Once inside, the suspect went into an office and removed a laptop computer. 

The same suspect entered the same business on June 11 at 9:05 p.m., by the same method, and once again stole a laptop computer and power tools. 

In the June 11 burglary, the suspect drove a white Ford Ranger and parked in front of the business.

Crime Stoppers has posted a reward of up to $2,000.00 for any information received by September 18, 2011, leading to the arrest and/or indictment of the persons responsible for this crime.  Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 461-TIPS (8477) or go to our website at www.stopcrime.org and e-mail your tip.  You can text a tip to “CRIMES” (274637), key word CMH.

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Crime Stoppers dispelling myths

WELLAND — Stu Black wishes he could talk about the sexual predator who is now behind bars.

But the executive director of Crime Stoppers Niagara can't discuss that — or any other tip the organization received that successfully led police to thousands of arrests.

Doing so, he said during Tuesday's Welland city council meeting, would compromise one of the underlying principles the organization was founded on — anonymity.

If Black could talk about the dangerous offenders the program has helped police take off the streets, he hopes the communities would be more supportive of the work the independent volunteer-run organization does.

He's been visiting municipal councils across Niagara, asking for help dispelling myths about Crime Stoppers so more people "use a very valuable resource — one that's been working well, but one that could work a whole lot better."

Black said 75 to 77% of people think Crime Stoppers is run by police departments and receive federal government funding.

"They don't understand that we're volunteers."

People are also concerned that police will be knocking on their doors, or they'll be hauled in to court to testify, "or some harm could happen to their family."

He wants to reassure people that Crime Stopper's promise of anonymity "is for real and this really works."

A few years ago, he said lawyers tried to overturn the anonymity offered by Crime Stoppers, and took the case all the way to the Supreme Court. The court, however, ruled on the side of Crime Stoppers.

"We will never reveal a source," he added.

In most cases, Crime Stoppers doesn't know who's providing the tip. Callers to the service don't have to give their names, and their phones are not equipped with call display.

In 2009, he said Crime Stoppers Niagara had 1,000 tips, and 1,500 tips were passed on to police last year.

"The success rate is actually very impressive," Black said.

Not being able to share success stories has made it a little more difficult for Crime Stoppers to raise money to finance the cash rewards of up to $2,000 it offers in exchange for successful tips.

Often, however, he said people who earn the rewards are so happy to have the crime they've reported resolved that they don't even accept the cash.

abenner@wellandtribune.ca

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