By Denise Sansosti
This year alone, citizens’ tips into Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay have resulted in 81 arrests, 112 cases cleared and 303 charges with over $26,000 in rewards. None of this would be possible without anonymous community tips.
“Our law enforcement does an excellent job, but they can’t be everywhere. Sometimes they need the community’s help to solve a crime,” said Kelly B. McLaren, executive director.
Crime Stoppers began in 1976 after a fatal shooting in New Mexico. Six weeks later, the police had no leads. The investigating detective contacted a local television station for a reenactment, and a special telephone number was promoted so that people could call without mentioning their name. A tip was called in, and in under 72 hours the murder was solved. This was the beginning of Crime Stoppers.
Over the years, Crime Stoppers has grown into an international network of 800 affiliated and accredited chapters worldwide. Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay was established in 1988 and currently services Hillsborough and Pasco counties.
According to McLaren, the biggest misconception the community has is not understanding that all tips are 100 percent anonymous and every piece of information is important.
“Crime Stoppers does not follow the same statutes and guidelines as law enforcement, enabling it to protect your identification through the entire process,” said McLaren. “Crime Stoppers works; everyone has a right to feel safe.”
Tips can be verbal, videos, pictures or documents through the tip line, website or mobile application. Submissions are then given an identification number and code specific to the case in order to check the ongoing status. If your tip leads to an arrest, you are eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000.
For 37 years, Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay has been a private nonprofit program funded solely through private donations, fundraising and the Crime Stoppers Trust Fund. No tax dollars are used.
To support your local Crime Stoppers program and help make Hillsborough and Pasco counties safer for everyone, the annual Clays Against Crime sporting challenge is on February 6, 2026, at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays. You can also make a donation to sponsor a local law enforcement team.
For more information on Crime Stoppers, unsolved cases, or to submit a tip, contact 1-800-873-TIPS or go to www.crimestopperstb.com.
