CrimeStoppers hasn’t received a tip

by courier pigeon – at least not yet

Tips come to CrimeStoppers around the clock, and they reach us in a variety of ways.

Of course, most people call or text our ubiquitous tips line, 528-CASH. But tips arrive in other ways.

A letter came this week in a square white envelope. It had no return address. Inside, a blue scrap of paper told about a house where drug sales allegedly are happening, and two auto tag numbers of frequent visitors.

 “Please, do something,” the writer ended. There was no signature. We forwarded the note to law enforcement. If an arrest is made no one will get an award in this case.

At least once a week a tipster mistakenly calls the office administrative line – instead of 528-CASH or -2274 – with information on a crime or the location of a fugitive. A recent caller was excited:

“I’ve got a tip for y’all on that shooting this week… my name’s –“

“Don’t say your name, ma’am. We don’t want to know who you are. I need to give you the right number for our tips line.”

“Uh-huh. You have to act fast. I looked at the web where all those fugitives are. He’s there. I know it’s him. I know where he’s been livin’.”

“Okay, I need you to take down a number and call it. And, when someone answers saying ‘CrimeStoppers’ don’t give your name. We want to keep you anonymous always. Just give them the information. They will look up the case on a computer right then, pass your information to the right detective, and then give you a secret code. You can check back with that code to see if you have a cash award coming.”

Even though virtually everyone knows about 528-CASH, in the rush of adrenaline people will use a browser and call whatever number comes up for CrimeStoppers. That’s okay. The main thing is to keep those tips coming.

We also urge those who support us to keep those donations coming.

CrimeStoppers runs 24/7 because of reporting (crimes and whereabouts of wanted individuals) and supporting (through gifts to our nonprofit organization).

CrimeStoppers of Memphis and Shelby County remains an independent agency open all the time thanks to the generosity of individuals, businesses and foundations. 

Help keep those tips coming – to all our phones and even in the mail.

HOW TO GIVE

Just as there are various ways to report a crime, there also are ways to support CrimeStoppers.

Checks are always welcome at CrimeStoppers, 600 Jefferson Ave., Suite 451, Memphis, TN ;38105.

Or: make a donation online here.

Become a CrimeStoppers sustainer by making your gift a regular occurrence.

Altercation quickly becomes murder

when suspect pulls out a handgun

The incident in April of this year started as an argument. Then it became what police refer to as an altercation.

As too often is the case, the altercation bloomed into violence when a gun was drawn in a house on Cleoford Avenue in Frayser where several people lived. 

According to witnesses, a man named Lorenzo Cross “shot up” the entire house. Several individuals were wounded and one man was killed when a bullet struck his head. The shooter fled and a warrant was issued for the arrest of Lorenzo Cross for second degree murder, attempted murder and reckless endangerment using a deadly weapon.

Cross was at large.

At the end of September a tip came to CrimeStoppers giving his location. He was arrested and transported to jail where he is held without bond. Paid to the tipster: $600.

This was one of two homicide cases awarded to tipsters in November and 23 for the calendar year.

Yellow rope on trunk lid helps

Solve two separate burglaries

Cameras showed three suspects forced entry into a business on Winchester Road in southeast Memphis. They took $4,500 in property and then left in a black malibu with a yellow rope tying the trunk lid down.

One night later police responded to a burglary report on South Perkins Road. Suspects broke into a store and took $21,000 of merchandise, the owner said. Once again, there was surveillance video footage. It showed men leaving the scene in a black Malibu. 

A yellow rope kept the trunk lid down, and also tied the two break-ins.

That vehicle later was found abandoned. It had been stolen. But an investigation led police investigators to issue a warrant for Kadarius Hubbard as one of the suspects. 

Months later a tip was received at CrimeStoppers telling where Hubbard was hiding out. He was arrested, jailed and charged with burglary and theft. The other suspects remain unknown.