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Victoria Crime Stoppers began in 1984.
Since the first of this year, several new features have been added to the program that will give citizens more ways to share crime-relate information and increase the public’s opportunities to qualify for rewards.
Those features include a new Web site, the ability of citizens to submit tips through the Web site and the ability to accept tips by text message.
As always, tips submitted to Crime Stoppers are completely anonymous and eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000 if they lead to an arrest and indictment.
This is true whether the tip is submitted through the Web site, by text message or the traditional phone calls that have been a staple of the program that began in 1984.
When Victoria Crime Stoppers began, concerned citizens could call 361-572-4200 to submit tips to the program. That has not changed in all this time.
In fact, now that phone number is answered by a live person 24 hours per day.
In an effort to reach more of Victoria County’s citizens, the next step was taken in early April when Crime Stoppers activated their new Web site: http://victoria.crimestoppersweb.com.
On this Web site, citizens can view a list of recently featured crimes, learn about the history of Crime Stoppers and find out how it works.
Also on the Web site are instructions for other ways for citizens to contact Crime Stoppers like web submission and text messages.
A link on the new Web site allows Internet users to submit tips anonymously directly to Crime Stoppers. The tipster assigns their own password so they can log in later to check the status of the tip, look for messages from Crime Stoppers and see if they have been approved for a reward. Just like if the tipster had called the phone number, they are only identified by a secret code number given only to the tipster.
The final step to reaching the public, text messaging, became available April 25.
This latest addition is not only an effort to encourage the youth of the community to participate in Crime Stoppers, but also is an excellent tool for anyone witnessing a crime who is afraid that speaking openly over the phone may endanger them.
Text-messaged tips are eligible for the same rewards as any other form of communication.
Tipsters simply start their message with “TIP238” to make sure it goes to Victoria Crime Stoppers, then send the message to 274637 (CRIMES).
With all these changes, the most important thing for citizens to remember is that their tip does not have to relate to a featured crime to be eligible for a cash reward up to $1,000.
Any tip is eligible if it leads to an arrest and grand jury indictment.