For 30 years Crime Stoppers has become a household name in crime reporting across Australia and now Hervey Bay has established its own Crime Stoppers Volunteer Area Committee. Making the announcement, Detective Inspector Gary Pettiford said establishing the committee will provide the city with one of the most effective tools in the fight to solve crime, Queensland Police say.
"Our Queensland program has some of the best results per capita in the world and I am confident residents in Hervey Bay will become even more vigilant in helping to solve crime in the area," Detective Inspector Pettiford said.
"There has been a Crime Stoppers committee in Maryborough for many years I am elated that we have been able to have a committee established in Hervey Bay made up from local volunteers.
"Operating throughout Australia, Crime Stoppers has become an integral part of the community safety with the information gathered and supplied by the community essential to assisting our police agencies with crime solving and prevention.
"At the very core of our program is the provision of a telephone hotline, 1800 333 000, website and mobile app for members of the community to provide anonymous information about suspicious or criminal activity. This information is electronically sent to a central unit and then distributed to the police establishment nearest to where the crime or suspicious activity is occurring for investigation.
"The information gathered through the Crime Stoppers program is amazing:
- Over 860,848 phone calls and 59,242 website reports (web only since March 2007);
- Over 35,412 offenders arrested with some 94,444 charges preferred;
- Solved 25 Murders and 21 Attempted Murders;
- Seized over $648 million worth of drugs;
- Recovered $11 million worth of stolen property; and
- Seized over $5.2 million in proceeds of crime.
"I am confident the Crime Stoppers program in Hervey Bay will be a great success," Detective Inspector Pettiford said.
