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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.

DID YOU KNOW?

Information provided to Crime Stoppers SA throughout January 2018 resulted in:

• Seizure of more than 70 cannabis plants and about 3.5kg of dried cannabis;
• Shutting down of a clandestine drug lab and discovery of nearly 60 grams of methamphetamine;
• Recovery of three stolen vehicles;
• Confiscation of 10 firearms;
• Recovery of an arsenal of other weapons and drug equipment, including ammunition, batons, knives, and other weapons; and
• Charging of 45 people with an array of serious offences, including a number of significant drug and weapons charges.

The information you provide makes a difference.

If you have any information about criminals and criminal 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

The man and woman then put the engine in the rear of the car before driving away. The car’s number plate had been covered.

The male is described as being of Caucasian appearance, between 20-30 years old, slim build, dark curly hair, dark beard, and was wearing a black hooded jumper, black pants and dark-coloured shoes.

The female is described as being of Caucasian appearance, between 20-30 years old, medium build, brown/red shoulder-length hair, and was wearing a grey top, dark pants and shoes.

Anyone who recognises the suspects, or has information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

Ice dealers operating their illicit trade in full view of the local community should be held to account for the crisis they continue to cause says Crime Stoppers SA – and the independent not-for-profit program’s latest campaign encourages people to take back control by anonymously providing information rather than staying silent.

The Make the Call. Cut the Supply. Stop the Hurt campaign – launched in partnership with the State Government and SA Police in February – specifically targets street-level dealers and dark net drug vendors.

Crime Stoppers South Australia Chair, Ms Sharon Hanlon, said “Drug dealers are often hiding in plain sight within a regional community like the Murraylands, with some people finding it easier to turn a blind eye and not speak out for fear of retaliation.”

“Regional communities are close-knit, which means that people tend to know who is selling drugs to their family, friends and colleagues. They might feel powerless when it comes to doing something about it or think it’s up to someone else, but let’s not kid ourselves about the damage that drug dealers continue to cause. Sitting back and watching dealers and online vendors destroy the lives of the people you care about should not be an option. We need people to make a difference by contacting Crime Stoppers,” Ms Hanlon said.

“Crime Stoppers is a safe, trusted link between the community and police. We don’t need to know who you are, just what you know. Even if you have little more than a suspicion about someone that still might be the piece of the puzzle that can make all the difference – so have the courage to make the call and choose to stay anonymous,” she said.

“Australians, including many South Australians, are increasingly using online marketplaces, social media and encrypted phone apps to buy and sell illicit drugs, with research showing that as a nation Australia is only second to the Netherlands when it comes to the number of online drug vendors per capita*.

Additional evidence of the rising problem is results from ongoing waste water analysis by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission** which now reports Adelaide as having the highest levels in the nation at almost 80 doses per 1,000 people every day.

Ms Hanlon said a national study also showed that the number of deaths related to the use of Ice doubled between 2009 and 2015.***

“While most deaths of Ice users are likely to be the result of overdose, the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre reviewed coronial records of 1,649 meth-related deaths and found overdose was the most common cause of death at 43%, followed by heart disease at 22% and suicide at 18%. Nearly half of the deaths were in rural or regional locations, and 156 Ice users died at the wheel of a car or on a motorbike,” Ms Hanlon said.

“Country communities are anything but immune from the impacts of Ice, with the 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey finding that rates of methamphetamine use were twice as high among people living in remote or very remote areas compared to rates among those living in major cities or regional areas. Young people aged 18–24 years old living in rural areas were also more likely to report recent Ice use than their city or regional counterparts,” she said.

“With methamphetamine use in South Australia tripling in the past four years we need people to step up now more than ever to achieve meaningful reductions in methamphetamine in South Australia, especially Ice – its most potent and dangerous form – and Crime Stoppers provides the mechanism to make that happen.”

How do you spot a drug lab?

• Suspicious items such as improvised heating and cooling mechanisms
• Materials such as cold and flu packets, empty pseudoephedrine blister strips, gas cylinders or butane fuel cans, stained coffee filters, pH testers or test strips, water pumps at a property
• An unusual chemical smell
• Plastic containers (with or without chemical labels) left laying around
• Laboratory glassware being carried into or at a location
• Fan or pump-type noise
• People never putting their rubbish out or, instead, burning their rubbish
• Little or no traffic at a property during the day, but frequent traffic late at night or at odd hours
• Windows blackened out, or extra effort taken to cover/reinforce doors and windows
• Unusual electrical work
• Hoses and pipes coming out of windows or doors
• Installation of extractor fans (especially in garages/sheds)
• Recently rented premises where the resident is rarely at home
• A new tenant who is willing to pay rent months in advance, using only cash
• New rental applicants who try to avoid background checks

As one element of an $8m investment to Stop the Hurt, the State Government has provided Crime Stoppers SA with $200,000 funding to implement a community-based campaign designed to encourage people to provide anonymous information about street-level and online dealers and manufacturers. The 6-month campaign engages metropolitan and regional communities through radio and TV advertising, online engagement, posters and regional roadshows.

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.