Report crime anonymously.
Crime Stoppers encourages people to provide anonymous information about unsolved crimes and suspicious activity, which is then passed onto police and law enforcement agencies. The ultimate goal of that information flow is to create a safer community by providing people with an opportunity to share information, without fear of retaliation.
Here’s how the process generally works:
Anonymous reporting:
Someone may have seen, heard or become aware of information about an unsolved crime or suspicious activity and wants to pass on that information to police but for whatever reason doesn’t want to say who they are or get involved. That’s where Crime Stoppers comes in because when you contact us you are under no obligation to say who you are or share details that might identify you.
Sharing information anonymously with Crime Stoppers can be done in two main ways – until recent years our free call hotline (1800 333 000) was the preferred option, but a growing number of people would rather share a tip online. In fact, more people prefer to go to our website to share what they know rather than make a phone call.
Whatever your preferred contact option, calls to the Crime Stoppers hotline do not have caller ID and are not recorded, while your IP address is not logged when you make an online report.
Hotline and online platforms:
All Crime Stoppers jurisdictions in Australia use the standard hotline number – 1800 333 000. It means that no matter where you are in the nation, your call will automatically divert to the nearest call centre based on your current location.
Sharing information through an online platform is also easy. You can either go to www.crimestoppers.com.au and select the particular state or territory that relates to your tip or go directly to that Crime Stoppers jurisdiction’s website to make a secure report.
Tip submission:
When you submit a tip to Crime Stoppers you will be assigned a unique code or reference number. Essentially this unique reference number becomes your identity that can be quoted if you want to contact us again with more information or to follow up to see whether you are eligible for a reward.
Your unique code maintains your anonymity throughout the entire process.
You can upload images and other file types, and some Crime Stoppers jurisdictions also offer the ability to upload video content.
Information gathering:
When you call the hotline, trained Crime Stoppers call takers will ask for details about the unsolved crime or suspicious behaviour, including any suspects, descriptions, vehicles or addresses, time and date, whether it was a one-off or reoccurring matter and any other relevant information.
Making an online report follows a similar approach, and you will be prompted by a series of questions.
You are in complete control when it comes to how much you choose to share with Crime Stoppers.
Tip forwarding:
Once you have provided your information it is assessed and forwarded to the appropriate police service or another relevant law enforcement agency for review and action. While we’d all like to see instant results, it’s important to remember that investigating and solving crimes can be very complex and time-consuming.
The information you provide might be a crucial piece of a larger puzzle and help police to connect the dots.
Sometimes you might see an immediate response to your report, but it could also provide behind the scenes help for an investigation – so it’s important to be patient but take comfort in that you’ve made a difference by sharing what you know.
Reward System:
Crime Stoppers offers rewards of up to $2000 for information that leads to an arrest or successful outcome of a case. The final reward amount offered is usually determined by a committee within Crime Stoppers, in consultation with police. Larger rewards, which normally apply to specific cases, are usually provided by State or Territory governments.
Sharing what you know with Crime Stoppers is your chance to make a difference.
Remember that the impact of what you know might not always be immediate or seen but can be vital in solving or preventing crime – and when you choose to stay anonymous, no one will ever know it was you who spoke up.
