January is Crime Stoppers Month

Ontario Provincial Police Chief Superintendent Scott Tod and Greater Sudbury Police Services Chief Frank Elsner, celebrate January as Crime Stoppers Month.

Since its inception in 1983, the Crime Stoppers program has recovered more than $43 million worth of stolen property and illegal drugs.

In Sudbury, a total of more than 20,000 tips have been received and more than 2,000 arrests have been made.

Crime Stoppers is a non-profit community program that encourages people to call with information to solve crimes already committed, ones about to occur, or the whereabouts of a wanted person or missing person, narcotics or stolen property.

Many volunteers help run the tip lines and organize fundraising activities. The provincial government provides $200,000 in funding annually to maintain the after-hours telephone tip line for the Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers.

As many as 70 per cent of all tips are received between 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. For more information, phone 675-8477 or go to www.sudburycrimestoppers.com.