About Crime Stoppers

Crime stoppers facts and figures

  • Crime Stoppers is a community-based initiative which encourages members of the community to provide information on wanted people, unsolved crimes and people they know have committed criminal offences but have not been arrested.

  • People who have information may qualify for a cash reward of up to $1000 if their information leads to an arrest. Less than six percent of callers to Crime Stoppers seek a reward.

    Informants who provide information can remain anonymous if they wish.

    Police recommend whether a reward should be considered however it is the Crime Stoppers Board of Directors who decide if a reward should be paid and the amount provided.

  • A police officer, concerned at the increasing rate of crime in his area, started the Crime Stoppers movement in 1976 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Crime Stoppers is now an international operation.

  • New South Wales adopted the Crime Stoppers concept in 1988 and the program began operation in 1989.

  • Corporate sponsors provide Crime Stoppers with the funds for cash rewards and marketing. These sponsors and senior police make up a Board of Directors of Crime Stoppers in each state of Australia.

Since it began operation in 1989, Crime Stoppers has recorded the following progressive total of results, (figures as of November 2011):

Number of phone calls received:

566,054

Property value recovered:

$25,428,583

Drugs value recovered:

$195,893,911

Rewards paid (value):

$139,500

Number of rewards paid:

384

Number of persons arrested

4,751

Number of charges laid:

16,146

Breakdown of charges

Homicide:

84

Assault:

245

Armed Robbery:

286

Sex Offences:

159

Stealing:

354

Motor Vehicle Theft:

181

Arson:

40

Fraud:

1,022

Warrants:

662

Drugs:

9,128

Serious Traffic:

190

B&E/GIC/Receiving:

1,759

Property Offences:

297

Firearm Offences:

990

Other:

756

Since Crime Stoppers began in New South Wales in 1989, it helped solve thousands of crimes that could otherwise have gone unnoticed.

The secret to Crime Stoppers' success is that it offers both anonymity and a pat on the back if the information provided results in an arrest. Crime Stoppers is such an important communication link between the NSW Police and the community that it's hard to imagine fighting crime without it.