CRIME STOPPERS OKs BURGLARIES REWARD

JACKSON -- Southeast Missouri Crime Stoppers has caught on in a big way.

When the group approved a $250 payout Thursday night at its monthly meeting at Jackson City Hall, total reward expenditures since June were raised to $1,400 since. And, if the organization can locate another person, it may give out more reward money this month.

The group approved its latest payment for information that led to the arrests of Cape Girardeau residents Tyrone D. Walker, 23, of 921 William, Apt. 2, and John Edward Jackson, 28, of 230 Good Hope; and Walter S. Lee, 20, of Malden.

Walker, Lee and Jackson are charged with committing some of the 17 reported burglaries of the homes of elderly Cape Girardeau residents last year.

Cape Girardeau police officer Jeannie Dailey said the amount will be paid to one person whose information was responsible for all three arrests.

Dailey also hopes to receive a call-back from a person who tipped investigators to an alleged methamphetamine lab in Burfordville Aug. 30. In that case, James L. Newkirk, 29, of Cape Girardeau was arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.

Dailey said the anonymous informant may be eligible for a reward but has to contact Crime Stoppers again with the correct identification number.

Crime Stoppers has received 50 calls resulting in nine arrests.

The program has become so successful that board members are becoming increasingly concerned about fund raising. The group has $4,900 in the bank and is looking to expand its revenue base.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan gave the group a boost when he announced at the meeting that he would like to begin donating $5,000 a year from the Crime Reduction Fund. He has to get the approval of at least one other fund board member for the expenditure, and said he hopes to accomplish that by next week.

The Crime Reduction Fund is fed by court-ordered donations by those convicted in Cape Girardeau County courts. Jordan said Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp has a method of calculating these donations for DWI offenders.

"I think if you blow a .220 on the Breathalyzer, Kamp orders you to pay $220," Jordan told the group.

The fund is also fed through the county jail's phone service. All prisoners calling out from the jail have to call collect. A fee is tacked on for every call and paid back to the sheriff's department.

Newly-elected board member Mike Rice of Jackson arranged for Jackson Police Chief Marvin Sides, Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel and board president Kevin Govero to speak at the Jackson Optimist Club Oct. 14. Rice said Crime Stoppers hopes for donations from the meeting.

Board members also voted themselves to specific terms. Rich Payne, Wally Lage, Jim Ramage and Larry Simon were issued three-year terms. R.J. McKinney, Govero and Mitch Robinson got two-year terms. Ron Rueseler and Joe Massa got one-year terms. All new members, including Rice, will be designated to three-year terms.

The board is looking to add another board member, this time from Scott City.