Note: This site does not accept Tip information.
If you have information about a crime, phone 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).
Or you may use this link to obtain the closest Crime Stoppers Program to you to submit
your information.
Note: Not all programs have "web tip" capability.
"Crime Stoppers is a partnership of the public, police and media which provides the
community with a proactive Program to anonymously assist in solving crime and contributing
to an improved quality of life"
Crime Stoppers is a not-for profit community-based charitable programme involving
the co-operative efforts of the community, the media and the police in the fight
against crime. Crime Stoppers encourages the public to call with information concerning
crimes that have been committed, are being committed or are about to be committed.
Crime Stoppers has become an invaluable investigative tool to Ontario Police Services.
Crime Stoppers is based on the simple principle that for every crime committed someone
other than the criminal has information that might solve it. Crime Stoppers is the
brainchild of a Canadian-born Albuquerque, New Mexico police detective, Greg MacAleese.
MacAleese was assigned to investigate a 1976 robbery gone afoul that resulted in
the senseless shooting of a young part-time employee of a gas station. Frustrated
by the lack of a solid investigative lead in this case, MacAleese recognized there
were two reasons the public did not communicate information concerning crime to authorities.
These two prohibitions were a valid fear of reprisal and pervasive public apathy.
This crime occurred at dusk, in a well-travelled neighbourhood in Albuquerque, leading
MacAleese to believe that someone, other than the killers, must have knowledge concerning
this homicide.
He reasoned that if he were to offer a cash reward, to overcome the apathy, while
guaranteeing anonymity, to protect against reprisal, he might be able to solve this
case. He contacted the local media, staged an on-site televised re-enactment of the
crime and offered a cash reward from his own pocket for information that led to an
arrest of the persons responsible. He set up a secure "tips" line and invited the
public, after viewing the re-enactment, to call with information. He received a number
of calls and the case was solved.
The Crime Stoppers triad was forged when MacAleese approached several members of
the community to serve on a governing board of directors to administer the fledgling
programme and raise the necessary charitable funding. The concept of the community,
the media and the police working together to solve crime spread rapidly to point
where there are Crime Stoppers programmes across the United States, Canada, Britain,
South Africa, Guam and Australia. In Ontario, there are 39 Crime Stoppers programmes,
linked together by a national toll-free Crime Stoppers telephone number (1-800-222-8477
or TIPS), covering the entire geography of our Province. The impact of this crime
fighting network in Ontario has been astounding! Since the original Ontario programme
commenced operation in 1983 to the end of 1999 Crime Stoppers tips have led to the
arrest of 50,000 persons and the recovery of $375 million in stolen property and
seized illicit narcotics.
