Your information takes more than 100 illegal firearms off SA streets in 2019

Posted on 03/02/2020

An arsenal of illegal and dangerous weapons – including 103 firearms – were taken out of the hands of local criminals across South Australia during 2019 thanks to information provided by the community to Crime Stoppers.

In addition, more than 33,000 amphetamine deals and 32,000 cannabis street deals were stopped from hitting the streets during the year as a direct result of more than 27,000 phone and online reports received by the nation’s most trusted information sharing service.

Crime Stoppers South Australia chair, Ms Sharon Hanlon, said 22,598 calls and 4,539 online reports had been received during the 2019 calendar year, leading to 12,404 reports being taken and 11,654 actions issued to police and other law enforcement bodies for investigation.

“As one of South Australia’s most successful and trusted not-for-profit charities, these strong results reinforce that Crime Stoppers SA continues to make a real difference when it comes to solving and preventing crime in South Australia – especially with 436 apprehensions and 859 charges being laid for an array of crimes throughout the year,” Ms Hanlon said.

“Independent research shows that 82% of all Australians continue to feel safer knowing that Crime Stoppers is there for them to share what they know about unsolved crimes and suspicious activity, with 81% of people believing that not having to say who they are is incredibly important,” she said.

“Another highlight of our annual results was having 320 contacts from people specifically wanting to share information about murders and unsolved cold cases, including the abduction and suspected murder of Rhianna Barreau in 1992, the bashing murder of Peter Seaford in 1989, the unsolved cold case murders of Corinna Marr and Gail King, and the shooting murder of Jason De Ieso at his Pooraka workshop in 2012.”

In partnership with SA Police, Crime Stoppers SA was proud to launch a new phase of Operation Persist to help solve cold case murders, with a second set of playing cards released within prisons and screens installed profiling cases and the rewards available to encourage the 7000 people passing through the system annually to share what they know.

During the year, Crime Stoppers SA also rolled out local activities as part of the Federally funded Dob in a Dealer national campaign, which disrupted the nation’s illegal drugs market thanks to more than 47,000 Information Reports received from concerned people across the country.

Crime prevention and awareness campaigns included a partnership with DPTI designed to catch graffiti vandalism offenders and those damaging the public transport system, support of National Missing Persons Week, launch of the Eye Spy campaign to educate South Australians on what to be on the lookout for in their neighbourhood and a successful collaboration with Encounter Youth as part of Schoolies Festival to engage school leavers.

The strong alignment with 9 News Adelaide as the official media partner also unlocked the power of television to help solve crime through special weekly segments, while a new partnership with fiveAA saw a weekly on-air spot used to profile a range of unsolved crimes.

SUMMARY –

2019 program results for Crime Stoppers SA include:

• 22,598 calls and 4,539 online reports from people wanting to share information;
• 436 apprehensions and 859 charges laid for drug dealing, firearms, robbery, serious assault and as range of other offences; and
• 103 firearms seized – as well as an ammunition and a range of illegal weapons and accessories.

DRUGS

• 1,329 plants and 200kg of cannabis seized;
• Closure of 1 clandestine drug lab;
• 4kg of amphetamine seized.

MAJOR APPREHENSIONS

A number of serious crimes were also solved during 2019, which included:

• 3 apprehensions for sexual offences
• 2 apprehensions for serious offences against property
• 10 apprehensions for serious firearms offences (4 associated with drug offences)
• 48 apprehensions for serious drug offences
• 5 apprehensions for serious assaults and robberies.

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

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