Got a Tip About a Crime? Text It In

Since a crime tip line went high-tech late last year, 90 percent of the tips are now coming through text messages or the nonprofit’s website.

“It’s probably information we never would have gotten before,” said Orange County Crime Stoppers Coordinator Aaron Berenschot in a presentation to the San Juan Capistrano City Council on Tuesday.

Berenschot, also an employee of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, said since going live with the new technology, the program has resulted in 13 arrests and the recovery of $20,000 in property in Orange County.

Worldwide, there are 1,400 Crime Stopper groups -- more than 613,000 people have been arrested after law enforcement officials received tips from the nonprofit group that works in tandem with police officials.

“People want to do the right thing, but they’re afraid of what can happen,” Berenschot told council members.

The program still takes tips the old-fashioned way, anonymously through a phone line, Berenschot said. The number, however is new: (855) TIP-OCCS.

But now, a website allows visitors to use a secure, drop-down menu to report their tips. And cell phone users can text in a tip to 274637. The tip must first start with OCCS, a space, and then the information, according to a slide show presentation Berenschot shared.

Crime Stoppers then recommends the cell phone user delete the text message. There's even an app called Tip Submit people can download for their smartphones. 

The organization offers rewards up to $1,000 for tips that lead to an arrest, Berenschot said. They don’t offer more because studies show that any more than $1,000 and “people actually start committing crimes to get the reward.”