The nonprofit group of local volunteers helps local law-enforcement agencies by supplying leads in unsolved cases. Crime Stoppers offers rewards for anonymous information.
The group has $100 left in its bank account — just enough to keep the phone line, 295-8878, up and running for two months.
That doesn’t leave any money to offer rewards. But the group is still taking calls and keeping track of good information in the hopes that things will turn around.
The Crime Stoppers is asking for community help. The group says it needs money and more volunteers.
A survey being put together by one of the members will be included with the Chamber of Commerce’s newsletter that is sent the 1,200 Chamber members. The survey is intended to help gauge community support for the service.
The group is planning to run advertisements in The Pilot next month asking for volunteers and donations. Rob McVay, chairman of the Crime Stoppers board, will pay most of the cost of the advertisement.
Also, Southern Pines police officer Rodney Hardy, a member of the Crime Stoppers board, wants to talk with business and civic groups, such as the Pinehurst Business Guild, to ask for assistance. But he is wary of having too high a profile.
“I’d like someone else to be there so it doesn’t look like a police program,” Hardy said.
He believes it’s important for the public to understand that the police will never know the identity of a caller who wants to remain anonymous.
When someone calls the line, a person answers. The line is not automated. The person who answers, assigns the caller a four-digit number, and that’s how they refer to the caller from then on.
The person answering the call asks the person to check with a local bank in a few days to see if the information led to an arrest and that a reward will be provided.
Any reward issued is a check written to the four-digit number. The recipient can endorse the check with the number and receive cash from the bank without ever giving their name.
The main goal of the Crime Stoppers board now is to get information about themselves to the public.
“We have to raise awareness, and get in touch with business owners,” ” McVay told the board members. “
Hardy believes that when people see the success the group has had they will be support the service. So far, tips provided to the Crime Stoppers has led to the recovery of $25,500 in stolen property, most involved in drug cases.
“I can’t see how anybody can say it’s not effective,” Hardy said.
Southern Pines Police Chief Gerald Galloway thinks the program is effective, Hardy said. In fact, Galloway wants to start a Southern Pines Crime Stoppers line if the Sandhills group disbands.
That would not be countywide, like the Sandhills Crime Stoppers. It will only take tips on Southern Pines cases.
But the Sandhills Crime Stoppers board hopes it won’t come to that.
McVay said, “I think we’ve got everything moving in the right direction.”
