Crime Stoppers gives first reward
Published 5:00 am Tuesday, July 25, 2000
An anonymous Crime Stoppers caller has been rewarded for doing agood deed that led authorities to an arrest in a recent BogueChitto business burglary, organization officials said.
The reward, the amount of which was not released, is the firstto be handed out in the organization’s brief history. The rewardpick-up shows the process is working, said Wanza McGuffie, CrimeStoppers treasurer.
“A tip came in, an arrest was made and a reward was given,”McGuffie said during Monday’s board of directors meeting.
The Crime Stoppers tip resulted in the arrest of one juvenile inconnection with the June 12 burglary of the Bogue Chitto TruckStop.
As evidenced by the first payout, Lincoln County Sheriff LynnBoyte said Crime Stoppers is a “win-win situation.” He saidauthorities were able to make an arrest in a crime and a citizenreceived a benefit for their assistance.
“It works when people in law enforcement and the general publicwork together,” Boyte said.
Brookhaven Police Chief Fred McKee said he likes the totallyanonymous aspects of people being able to provide tips toauthorities. He was pleased the organization is starting to seeresults and was hopeful of more Crime Stoppers tips coming in fromthe city.
“Even though it was slow getting started, it works,” the chiefsaid about the organization. “Hopefully, we’ll have a lot morerewards to give out.”
Coordinator Suzanne Rester said the Crime Stoppers tip line hadbeen down two or three days recently due to some telephonedifficulties while the sheriff’s department moved into the new jailfacility. Those problems have been addressed.
“We have the Crime Stoppers line up and running in the newjail,” Rester told directors Monday.
Crime Stoppers officials and authorities are continuing to seekinformation in the shooting death of 51-year-old Alfred Jones. Itwas the organization’s first “Crime of the Week.”
Jones was found in a white early to mid-1980s Chevrolet pick uptruck on Arthur Drive near the McCall Creek bridge on July 20,1999. He had been shot at close range between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30p.m. that day.
Citizens may receive up a $1,000 reward for information leadingto an arrest. Anyone with information on the shooting or anothercrime is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 823-0150.