CRIME STOPPERS PROGRAM SEES INITIAL SUCCESS

Southeast Missouri Crime Stoppers Inc. is beginning to have an impact in Cape Girardeau and the surrounding area.

With the arrest in Jackson Wednesday of two car-theft suspects as the result of a Crime Stoppers tip, the newly formed Cape Girardeau chapter of Crime Stoppers can claim its first success. The chapter, named Southeast Missouri Crime Stoppers with the intent that it become regional as soon as feasible, was formed only two weeks ago, on June 1.

"The concept of Crime Stoppers is for the organization to provide rewards for anonymous information, which will assist us in solving cases," said Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel.

In Cape Girardeau, the informant can receive a reward of up to $1,000.

Hetzel said police are not interested in the identification of the callers. He said the callers are provided with a control number, which they can use at a designated bank to collect their reward after an arrest is made. The reward can be collected at the drive-through without identification other than the control number and without meeting with police officers, Hetzel said.

"We know that Crime Stoppers is an extremely effective program based on its effectiveness in other communities," Hetzel said.

The Paducah, Ky., chapter, which was influential in getting the Cape Girardeau chapter started, has received 3,175 tips in its 10-year existence. They have resulted in 890 arrests, 595 of which were for felonies.

Crime Stoppers, now an international organization, was begun in 1976 in Albuquerque, N.M., by a police detective, Greg MacAleese, who was frustrated by the inability of the Albuquerque Police Department to solve the murder of a young college-student night clerk.

MacAleese decided to involve the public by publicizing the crime and devising a system whereby anyone with knowledge of the crime could call in anonymously and be rewarded. After a local TV station re-enacted the crime, a resident called in with information that resulted in the arrest of the killers.

Cooperation of the media is an integral part of the Crime Stoppers program. In Cape Girardeau, the Southeast Missourian and KBSI-Fox TV, as well as other media, are assisting with publicity.

The Cape Girardeau chapter of Crime Stoppers was formed as a direct result of a series of burglaries of homes of the elderly from May 1996, through Dec. 5. Seeking a means to catch the burglars and pay out reward money that had been collected, the Noon Lions Club, at the suggestion of Wally Lage, Southeast Missourian publisher, began the process of building a chapter. Lage was familiar with the success of the Paducah Crime Stoppers.

Other civic organizations volunteered to be a part of the Crime Stoppers effort. Currently, a volunteer board promotes publicity and raises funds for the rewards. The board decides on the amount of the rewards on a case-by-case basis.

Kevin Govero, board chairman, said that the Cape Girardeau chapter wants to go regional as soon as possible. "Initially, it is limited to Cape Girardeau," he said. "We wanted to get off the ground first, so we kept it close early on to get it up and running.

"Once we're up and running, we want to expand to Jackson, Chaffee -- to Cape County, Scott County, Bollinger County -- so that more crimes can be solved."

Other board members are Joe Mazza, vice chairman; Jim Ramage, secretary; and Bill Miller, treasurer.

The Crime Stoppers number in Cape Girardeau, which anyone with information can call, is (573) 332-0500. The information that led to the Jackson arrests was called in from Jackson and was relayed by the Cape Girardeau police to the Jackson police.

Donations can be made to Southeast Missouri Crime Stoppers at P.O. Box 1056, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-1056.