One phone call could put up to $1,000 in the pocket of an alert citizen.
Bartlett Crimstoppers is a program publicized by the media, fueled by the public’s knowledge, and used by police in their fight against crime.
Participants can reap cash rewards for anonymous tips leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects.
The good that Crimestoppers does depends on local support from Bartlett citizens and businesses, and donors are currently needed.
Donations needed
Gifts of $25, $50, $100 or more keep the bank account topped up so it can pay out for good crime tips.
“That keeps me from bake sales and car washes,” said Crimestoppers board member and president Beverly Holmgren.
Bartlett Crimestoppers incorporated in November 1983 and has helped with many cases.
It typically keeps about $3,000 on deposit and some funds on hand at the Bartlett Police Department. Someone from BPD calls Holmgren a few times yearly to release funds.
Donors can can drop off cash or a check payable to “Bartlett Crimestoppers” at BPD Headquarters or the Bartlett Station Municipal Center.
Donations can also be mailed to:
Bartlett Crimestoppers
3730 Appling Rd.
Bartlett TN 38133
How to participate
To phone in a tip on a crime or a possible crime, citizens can simply call 382-MONY. There is no need to provide a name. Tipsters just tell their information and get a confidential personal ID number. Then can use it later when callingl back to find out if the police made an arrest and how to collect the reward.
Why it matters
Citizens are asked to call Crimestoppers with any information regarding any crime which occurred in the city of Bartlett. “It’s for anything that even looks suspicious,” Holmgren said.
All calls are kept in complete confidence. Callers get a code that can be used to redeem their cash reward if their tips pan out.
The Crimestoppers Board determines the amount of the award. Serious crimes get the biggest rewards.
Holmgren recalled the case of Tina Caronna, who was found duct-taped and strangled to death in Bartlett in October 2008. A Crimestoppers tip let authorities to the Howard Johnson motel in Jackson, Tenn., where the victim’s husband, Joseph Caronna, was hiding. In 2012, he was found guilty of first-degree murder and automatically sentenced to life in prison.
“That was a $1,000 tip,” Holmgren said.
