THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 18, 1997 TAG: 9701180357
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 30 lines
The organizers of several anonymous crime-tip lines publicly launched a cooperative advertising campaign Friday and announced plans for a regional toll-free hot line to snitch on bad guys.
The crime-tip programs in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk now have their phone numbers emblazoned on the rotating steel cylinder of a concrete-mixing truck. Organizers said they hope the truck will be the first in a fleet of mobile advertisements promoting the successful tip lines that offer cash as incentive to turn in crooks.
The area tip-line organizers have also reserved the toll-free phone number of 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. The number is not yet operational but will be soon. Citizens anywhere in the region would be able to use the number when they are unsure which agency is handling a criminal case. Calls to the toll-free number would be routed to the appropriate police department.
The Crime Solvers program in Virginia Beach and the Crime Line programs of other Hampton Roads cities have been credited with recovering millions of dollars worth of illegal drugs and stolen property in the past several years. The anonymous tips have also led to the arrests of some of the area's most-wanted criminals.
The organization that oversees the programs is made up of police officers, citizens and business leaders.
KEYWORDS: HOT LINE CRIME