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November 21, 2009 Cartersville, Georgia
LOCAL NEWS
Police credit local Crime Stoppers with recent arrest
Law enforcement officers credit an anonymous tipster and Cartersville-Bartow County Crime Stoppers with the recent apprehension of a man listed as one of Bartow County's most wanted.
The nonprofit organization, which accepts information on suspected criminal or suspicious activity, rewarded the caller with $100 after officers arrested the man, who had been wanted on an armed robbery charge since 2007.
"He was actually a fugitive, and he was on the run and they were looking for him," Chairman Billy Fleetwood said. "Somebody called in with the information of his whereabouts. They sent deputies to the location and they were able to apprehend him ... Because of that tip, he was taken off the streets ... That was just one of many since Crime Stoppers has been active."
In January, The Daily Tribune News reported on numerous cases in which investigators lodged charges as a result of anonymous tipsters. They arrested two local men in connection with a string of local commercial burglaries -- one tip "snowballed" into information on several crimes, Bartow County Sheriff's Office Investigator Jonathan Rogers said at the time.
Fleetwood said through 2009, Crime Stoppers tips have led to the recovery of stolen property and the seizure of drugs valued collectively at about $750,000.
"To me, [Crime Stoppers is] the best way for the community to get involved with law enforcement and help get crooks off the street," he said. "If they want to get crime off the streets, they need to support Crime Stoppers ... You can give money for other things, but what else can you give that will drive people to call the tip line to turn in somebody that's committed a crime. Out of all the organizations around law enforcement, things of that nature, Crime Stoppers to me is the best nonprofit to be involved in. It's probably close to 60 cases that we've cleared, and I think we've probably arrested 30 to 35 people."
Through the use of a personal identification number, tips -- which range from $50 to $1,000 depending on the severity of the crime -- are retrieved by tipsters unnamed at local banks.
"If somebody knows of a crime, sees a crime, they can call the tip line number and be assured of anonymity," Fleetwood said. "When they call in with the specifics of a crime, they are given a tip number. If an arrest is made based on that tip, then they will be given a reward."
The organization, which is governed by local residents, is seeking corporate sponsorships and donations, and in October generated $3,000 with the Mystery Dinner fundraiser. Crime Stoppers Board of Directors Secretary Linda Kellogg was a cast member in the comedic mystery skit.
"We needed the funding [raised with the dinner theater] and it's a way the community can contribute while they were having fun and being entertained at the same time," she said. "Crime is happening everywhere in our city and county. Anonymous tipsters really help solve some of these crimes, and possibly prevent them from happening in the future ... A lot of these tips that come in not only lead to one arrest, it may lead to several because it's the same perpetrators. I really thought it was a wonderful first-time event that really made the community aware of how important we are and also helped them to recognize how something so small -- calling in anonymously -- could really make a difference in your community ... You may see something that's going on in the community that looks suspicious, that's why it is important to call in. It's best for law enforcement to check it out in error rather than not check it out at all."
Funds raised by the approximately 85 people who participated in the Mystery Dinner will be used to pay tipster rewards, advertise and raise community awareness of the organization, and purchase TipSoft, a software that will allow the organization to network the area law enforcement agencies, Fleetwood said. Local law enforcement agencies that participate in Crime Stoppers, which receives about 40 to 50 tips per month, are the BCSO and the Cartersville, Adairsville, Emerson, Euharlee, Kingston and White police departments.
In May, the organization, which was formed in 2006, held its first fundraiser, raising about $2,000 with a motorcycle ride and activities for children at Earl Small's Harley-Davidson of Cartersville. The group's second fundraiser, an August flapjack breakfast at Applebee's, raised about $1,500.
Fleetwood said next year, the organization plans to hold the three fundraisers again. To contribute or become a corporate sponsor, contact Tanya Rucker at 770-382-4973.
Crime Stoppers is also seeking board members; call Darla McAfee at 770-547-2119.
Anonymous tipsters should call the tip line at 770-606-8477 (TIPS) to provide information on suspected criminal activity, past or present.
The nonprofit organization, which accepts information on suspected criminal or suspicious activity, rewarded the caller with $100 after officers arrested the man, who had been wanted on an armed robbery charge since 2007.
"He was actually a fugitive, and he was on the run and they were looking for him," Chairman Billy Fleetwood said. "Somebody called in with the information of his whereabouts. They sent deputies to the location and they were able to apprehend him ... Because of that tip, he was taken off the streets ... That was just one of many since Crime Stoppers has been active."
In January, The Daily Tribune News reported on numerous cases in which investigators lodged charges as a result of anonymous tipsters. They arrested two local men in connection with a string of local commercial burglaries -- one tip "snowballed" into information on several crimes, Bartow County Sheriff's Office Investigator Jonathan Rogers said at the time.
Fleetwood said through 2009, Crime Stoppers tips have led to the recovery of stolen property and the seizure of drugs valued collectively at about $750,000.
"To me, [Crime Stoppers is] the best way for the community to get involved with law enforcement and help get crooks off the street," he said. "If they want to get crime off the streets, they need to support Crime Stoppers ... You can give money for other things, but what else can you give that will drive people to call the tip line to turn in somebody that's committed a crime. Out of all the organizations around law enforcement, things of that nature, Crime Stoppers to me is the best nonprofit to be involved in. It's probably close to 60 cases that we've cleared, and I think we've probably arrested 30 to 35 people."
Through the use of a personal identification number, tips -- which range from $50 to $1,000 depending on the severity of the crime -- are retrieved by tipsters unnamed at local banks.
"If somebody knows of a crime, sees a crime, they can call the tip line number and be assured of anonymity," Fleetwood said. "When they call in with the specifics of a crime, they are given a tip number. If an arrest is made based on that tip, then they will be given a reward."
The organization, which is governed by local residents, is seeking corporate sponsorships and donations, and in October generated $3,000 with the Mystery Dinner fundraiser. Crime Stoppers Board of Directors Secretary Linda Kellogg was a cast member in the comedic mystery skit.
"We needed the funding [raised with the dinner theater] and it's a way the community can contribute while they were having fun and being entertained at the same time," she said. "Crime is happening everywhere in our city and county. Anonymous tipsters really help solve some of these crimes, and possibly prevent them from happening in the future ... A lot of these tips that come in not only lead to one arrest, it may lead to several because it's the same perpetrators. I really thought it was a wonderful first-time event that really made the community aware of how important we are and also helped them to recognize how something so small -- calling in anonymously -- could really make a difference in your community ... You may see something that's going on in the community that looks suspicious, that's why it is important to call in. It's best for law enforcement to check it out in error rather than not check it out at all."
Funds raised by the approximately 85 people who participated in the Mystery Dinner will be used to pay tipster rewards, advertise and raise community awareness of the organization, and purchase TipSoft, a software that will allow the organization to network the area law enforcement agencies, Fleetwood said. Local law enforcement agencies that participate in Crime Stoppers, which receives about 40 to 50 tips per month, are the BCSO and the Cartersville, Adairsville, Emerson, Euharlee, Kingston and White police departments.
In May, the organization, which was formed in 2006, held its first fundraiser, raising about $2,000 with a motorcycle ride and activities for children at Earl Small's Harley-Davidson of Cartersville. The group's second fundraiser, an August flapjack breakfast at Applebee's, raised about $1,500.
Fleetwood said next year, the organization plans to hold the three fundraisers again. To contribute or become a corporate sponsor, contact Tanya Rucker at 770-382-4973.
Crime Stoppers is also seeking board members; call Darla McAfee at 770-547-2119.
Anonymous tipsters should call the tip line at 770-606-8477 (TIPS) to provide information on suspected criminal activity, past or present.
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