This May marks Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers’ 42nd anniversary. It was first established in 1984 and since then, Crime Stoppers has been collecting ANONYMOUS tips every day and forwarding them to police to solve crimes, to keep people safe, and recover stolen property, drugs and illegal weapons.
“Crime Stoppers has been a huge success for 42 straight years because it guarantees anonymity for everyone who calls us, and that allows tipsters to trust us with their valuable information,” says Linda Annis, Executive Director of Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers. “The Supreme Court of Canada supports the anonymity of every tipster, allowing them to provide important information without any fear of reprisal.”
Members of the public sometimes have information that could assist in solving crimes, but don’t want to call police or be identified. Or they might see something that seems suspicious and want to tell someone – but hesitate, thinking they shouldn’t bother anyone.
Records dating back to the very beginning on May 23,1984 reveal almost 150,000 tips have been provided since then. Those tips have led to almost 8,500 arrests and more than half-a-billion dollars in stolen property and drugs seized.
“We take telephone tips in 115 languages day and night and offer rewards of up to $5000. Since 1984, not one person who’s called Crime Stoppers has ever been identified to police or anyone else, a testament to the stability and growth of the program to this day,” Annis added.
If you have information about any crime that could lead to an arrest, anonymous tips may be provided through Crime Stoppers’ downloadable “P3” phone app, calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, online at solvecrime.ca, or by following the link on the Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers Facebook page.
