Crimestoppers Lauded

For every dollar Winnipeg Crimestoppers hands over to anonymous tipsters, police recover $110 worth of stolen property, cars and drugs.

It's that excellent return on investment that Sgt. John Eyer of the Winnipeg Police Service said makes the program a success.

And that overwhelming success led the local Crimestoppers program to win two prestigious awards at an international Crimestoppers conference in Victoria, B.C., earlier this month.

Winnipeg Crimestoppers beat out cities from more than 18 countries and brought home the first-place prize for the most stolen goods recovered in a city with a population between 250,000 and one million.

The program also garnered third-place honours for the most stolen goods and drugs recovered in 1999 for a city of that size.

Eyer said people who called in to the tip line last year helped police rake in more than $2.5 million in stolen goods and drugs.

This is the 21st award the Winnipeg Crimestoppers program has won since its inception in 1984.