Media Releases

Just after 10.30am on Tuesday 14 February 2017, emergency services were called to Arndale Street on the eastern side of the Arndale Shopping Centre outside Big W, after a silver Ford Ecosport SUV collided with a pedestrian and then allegedly drove away from the scene.

The elderly woman was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with serious injuries.

A 57-year-old Ottoway woman was arrested and charged with aggravated driving without due care and leaving the scene of a crash.

Major Crash investigators are preparing for the trial later this year and have taken the unusual step of releasing an image of a man who may have witnessed the collision.

The man has not done anything wrong, which is why his face is pixelated, they just want to speak to him.

He is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

If you’ve got any information about criminals or illegal activities then don’t forget that it’s easy to provide that to Crime Stoppers online – with 4,222 people doing just that last year by going to our website or using our free Report Suspicious Behaviour app!

Cocky criminals who think they are above the law and immune from capture should think again, with the 2017 program results from Crime Stoppers SA showing that plenty of people are prepared to step up and provide information about a range of wanted persons and illegal activities.

Crime Stoppers South Australia chair, Ms Sharon Hanlon, said nearly 19,500 calls were received during the 2017 calendar year from people wanting to share information, resulting in a total of 911 apprehensions made.

“While not every call that we receive necessarily results in an immediate apprehension, every piece of information can make a difference by advancing an investigation or providing intelligence that can be passed to police and further explored by investigators,” Ms Hanlon said.

“During 2017 we continued to focus our efforts on letting people know that Crime Stoppers is an independent not-for-profit organisation that is not part of SAPOL – and we hope that people can be confident knowing that when they provide information to the program then all efforts are made to protect their anonymity,” she said.

“Our message is that we don’t need to know who you are, just what you know. That is why when someone uses our report suspicious behaviour app then their user data information is automatically stripped out, and when they call the hotline they are under no obligation to identify who they are to a call taker.”

Throughout 2017, Crime Stoppers SA continued to act as the trusted link between the community and police in support of Operation Persist, calling on people to come forward with information about unsolved cold case murders, including the disappearance and presumed murder of Port Lincoln woman, Susan Goodwin, and murder of Mid-North man, Martin Meffert.

“Crime Stoppers SA also announced a major 3-year program partnership with Police Credit Union for supporting better communities, which provided much-needed funding to conduct a range of crime-fighting, awareness and prevention campaigns across the metropolitan and regional areas,” Ms Hanlon said.

“That commitment allowed us to develop and deliver a number of activities during the year in partnership with Police Credit Union, including a bushfire arson campaign, a focus on long weekend home security, and personal safety during the Christmas and New Year period,” she said.

“At a national level we participated in Operation Rogue Radar to shine a light on wanted fugitives – with two of SA’s three nominated targets now behind bars. We also supported the National Firearm Amnesty, which saw more than 26,000 firearms – including a homemade sub-machine gun and grenade – seized or surrendered to police.”

Crime Stoppers SA attracted global accolades for its innovative efforts to engage the community, winning three categories in the 2017 Crime Stoppers International media awards.

The 2017 program results for Crime Stoppers SA include:

• 19,439 calls from people wanting to share information about criminals and their illegal activities;
• 4,222 online and other reports lodged using the Report Suspicious Behaviour app or visiting crimestopperssa.com.au
• 911 apprehensions including wanted fugitives, arsonists, and suspects wanted for robberies, theft and assault;
• 1,901 charges laid for drug dealing, firearms, robbery, serious assaults and child pornography offences; and
• 79 firearms seized – including ammunition and a range of illegal accessories.

DRUGS

• 1266 plants and 241kg of cannabis (which equates to 86,229 street deals);
• Shut down of 12 clandestine labs;
• 3kg of amphetamine seized (equates to 16, 920 street deals);
• 477 ecstasy tablets confiscated.

If you have any information about criminals or criminal activity, then call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

People can remain anonymous and rewards are available.

Thousands of people across South Australia are doing that last bit of packing before heading off for a well-deserved 4-day Easter break, but sharing your getaway excitement over social media could actually do more harm than good when it comes to your home security.

Crime Stoppers SA Chair, Ms Sharon Hanlon, said: “That ‘about to head off’ selfie picture out the front of your house with the car or caravan packed could be all an opportunistic thief needs to strike while you are away, because they know what your house looks like and that you aren’t going to be home.”

“Parents should also be vigilant when it comes to their children’s social media habits and take the time to discuss with them how to be safe online – especially the dangers of revealing holiday plans or geo-tagging snaps while away because it can give a savvy thief up-to-the-minute details on your whereabouts,” Ms Hanlon said.

“It is always a good idea to review your family’s security protection and privacy settings on social media to make sure they are at the safest levels possible. Remember that a picture or status update might inadvertently reveal details such as your house number, street address, what your home looks like, when and where you are going on holidays and when you are likely to return – it’s the cyberspace equivalent of leaving your front door unlocked and wide open.”

Other home security tips to consider:

Lock up before you leave – unlocked windows and doors continue to be the biggest security weakness for many Australian homes, so check that all are locked, and make sure that sheds, garage doors, and side gates are all locked too. If you have a security system then check to make sure it is working properly and remember to turn it on!

Hide away spare keys – don’t hide them in a plant pot or under the mat. Give a spare set of keys to someone you trust or take them with you. If you have any cars left at home, then hide the keys to prevent thieves stealing your vehicle too.

Sensor lights – if you already have them, turn them on and make sure they are working to spotlight any would-be thief lurking in the shadows. Give your home that lived-in look by investing in light timers to turn some lights on and off at intervals while you’re gone.

Mail and newspapers – Ask someone trusted to collect any mail or newspapers while you’re away because piled up papers in the letterbox and front yard are a sure sign that you’re not at home.

Pack away outdoor equipment – outdoor belongings can also attract thieves, so pack away valuable outdoor equipment and furniture, tools, solar panel lights, sports gear and toys, and bicycles.

More about Crime Stoppers SA can be found https://crimestopperssa.com.au

 

If you were one of the many South Australians that provided information to Crime Stoppers SA last month then take a bow.

Thanks to you, during the month of February:

• We received nearly 2500 telephone calls and online reports via the website and Report Suspicious Behaviour app;
• More than 1100 intelligence reports were generated, and 958 actions issued for investigation;
• 6000 people went to our website and generated more than 26,000 page views;
• 2 clandestine drug labs were shut down, and nearly 43g of meth-amphetamine located;
• 11 firearms seized, along with a small arsenal of other dangerous weapons and accessories;
• 73 people were apprehended, including 37 charged for offences such as trafficking a controlled drug, firearm offences, and cultivating commercial quantities of cannabis; and
• 212 plants and 2.255kg of cannabis was seized.

We also paid out several rewards to people who asked for them as a result of providing information that delivered great results.

What you tell us continues to make a difference. If you have any information about criminals and illegal activity, then call the hotline on 1800 333 000 or go to crimestopperssa.com.au

Rewards are available, and it is your choice to remain anonymous.