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Cash-Poor Light Up Crime Hot Lines

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The New York Times

Published: May 18, 2008

To gas prices, foreclosure rates and the cost of rice, add this rising economic indicator: the number of tips to the police from people hoping to collect reward money.

Calls to the Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers hot line in the first quarter of this year were up 30 percent over last year. San Antonio, Texas, had a 44 percent increase. Cities and towns from Detroit to Omaha to Beaufort County, N.C., all report increases of 25 percent or more in the first quarter, with tipsters telling operators they need the money for rent, light bills or baby formula.

"For this year, everyone that's called has pretty much been just looking for money," said Sgt. Lawrence Beller, who answers Crime Stoppers calls at the Sussex County, N.J., sheriff's office. "That's as opposed to the last couple of years, where some people were just sick of the crime and wanting to do something about it."

As a result, many programs report a substantial increase in Crime Stopper-related arrests and recovered property.

"When the economy gets rough, people have to be creative," said Elaine Cloyd, president of Crime Stoppers U.S.A., a national organization of 323 tip programs.

For tips that bring results, programs pay $50 to $1,000, with some jurisdictions giving bonuses for help solving the most serious crimes, or an extra "gun bounty" if a weapon is recovered.

Some Crime Stoppers coordinators say their program appeals to community spirit and emphasize that not everyone who calls is after money. But their advertising makes no bones about the benefits of a good tip.

"Crime doesn't pay, but we do," say the mobile billboards cruising Jacksonville. Programs strictly protect the anonymity of callers. Each tip is assigned a number, and if the tip results in an arrest, the caller can collect a cash reward, usually by going to a designated bank.

Some people have made a cottage industry of calling in tips. Although repeat callers do not give their names, operators recognize their voices.

"We have people out there that, realistically, this could be their job," said Sgt. Zachary Self, who answers Crime Stoppers calls for the Macon Police Department.

"Two or three arrests per week, you could make $700, $750 per week," Self said. "You could make better than a minimum-wage job."

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