Who We Are
Who We Are
Crime Stoppers is an independent not-for-profit organisation that partners with the community, media and police to encourage people
to prevent crime and to confidentially share what they know about unsolved crime or suspicious activity.
Crime Stoppers believes everyone has the right to feel safe from crime. We share practical advice on how you can protect your community, and the people and things that are important to you.
When you make a report, you don’t have to leave your personal details with us, your call isn’t recorded and, if you make a report online, your IP address isn’t stored. You are in control of the reporting process – you choose how much information you share and whether you want to remain anonymous.
Since we started in Victoria in 1987, we have received over 1.55 million tips from the community, resulting in over 29,720 arrests and the recovery of more than $444 million worth of drugs, property and cash.
Did You Know We are a charity?
Crime Prevention Spectrum
Crime Stoppers Victoria is the only not-for-profit organisation that impacts the entire crime prevention spectrum.
Information
Over 2,000 contacts per week
Investigation
Informs inquiries and investigations
Detection
Leads to crimes
detected
Disruption
Disrupts criminal
activity
Prevention
Leads to crime prevention
Safety
Creates a safer
Victoria
Our impact as at 30 June 2024
The history of Crime Stoppers
Crime Stoppers originated in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA in 1976 in an effort to solve a brutal murder case. In July 1976, a young man was working at a petrol station in a small town. During a night shift, two men robbed the station and the man was viciously shot and killed. This was the culmination of a series of robberies against petrol stations in the area.
A local detective, Greg MacAleese, believed local people had committed the crimes and someone in the community could have information. However, people were not willing to talk to the police and after six weeks, there were still no leads.
In a final act of desperation, the detective approached a local TV network, requesting a TV reconstruction of the event. The re-enactment offered informants total anonymity and a cash reward of $1000, for information leading to the arrest of the offenders.
Within 72 hours of the program going to air, a person called with some information regarding a car speeding away from the scene, which ultimately became the missing link in the case, leading to the arrest of the offenders.
An unexpected bonus emerged from this tragic event, enabling the community to assist in solving a variety of crimes through the use of an anonymous ‘tips line’. Crime Stoppers was initiated from this point and continues today.
In 1985, Crime Stoppers Life Member Geoff Wilkinson secured a Churchill Fellowship enabling him to travel overseas and investigate community-based crime-prevention programs. It was Geoff who brought the concept of Crime Stoppers back to Australia while working for Victoria Police. His recommendation to launch such a program in Victoria in 1987 was warmly endorsed by the then Chief Commissioner “Mick” Miller.
