COURT HOUSE – Six unsolved (as yet) crimes debuted April 17 in Middle Township Police Department’s premier monthly crime watch video. The digital outreach is the latest in Chief Christopher Leusner’s arsenal to combat crime using the public’s eyes, (to see suspicious things) ears (to hear odd sounds) and fingers (to text tips).
“I was doing research on the International Chiefs of Police Association’s social media center and came across this,” said Leusner in a telephone interview about an hour after the video was released.
He said the idea was hatched by Calhoun County, Ala. Sheriff Larry Amerson who used the services of Chris Wright, a local broadcaster, who was host of a local “Most Wanted” TV show in his hometown. According to CrimeWatch.com website, Wright’s actions “helped locate well over 2,000 wanted individuals. Now he’s putting his knowledge and experience to work nationwide with videos designed specifically for law enforcement using social media.”
Leusner knows the public responds to crime news, especially on social media. When a suspect was recorded burglarizing a Burleigh restaurant and posted on the department’s website as well as on the Herald website, over 7,600 viewed the footage.
More recently, when two suspects allegedly stole a TV from K-mart, that was viewed 46,389 times and the suspects surrendered to police. Those numbers sealed the idea for the chief.
The video posted April 17 featured six otherwise unreported crimes that might not be solved unless the public knows about them.
They include:
• April 14 burglary and theft of a motor vehicle in the Atlantic Cape Community College parking lot. In that crime, $800 in cash was taken between 9:30 a.m. and 2:40 p.m.
• Between March 28 at 9 a.m. and April 5 at 11 a.m. theft and criminal mischief of copper piping was taken from under a dwelling in the 200 block First Avenue, Court House. Plumbing was also damaged.
• April 5 burglary and theft from a motor vehicle between April 5 at midnight and April 6 at 10 a.m. when $80 in cash was taken as was a Nautica watch and Apple iPod.
• March 31, a burglary-theft of a residence in the 300 block Swainton-Goshen Road, Swainton. At 11:55 a.m. officers responded to a burglar alarm and discovered the burglary. Taken was a gold ring shaped in an “H,” gold wire ring shaped in an “H,” pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, diamond earrings, a diamond anklet and other miscellaneous jewelry items.
• Between April 10 at 6:30 p.m. and April 11 at 7:30 p.m. from Linden Cove, Rio Grande, a stainless steel cooler with dual doors on the top was stolen.
• Between April 3 at 3:30 p.m. and April 4 at 8:30 a.m. in the 1300 block, Route 9 North, Swainton, a black Trek bicycle, model 830 was stolen.
Leusner watched as initial response quickly climbed to 1,000 and 13 shares in about an hour as he spoke with a reporter.
He hopes the public will respond to this initial lot. If there is sufficient interest, the department could post two such videos.
The first was done gratis by CrimeWatch.com, subsequent ones will be $100 each, a price Leusner views as well worth the cost if crimes are solved.
Leusner said he spoke with Mayor Timothy Donohue who agreed the venture was worthwhile. While the northeast Alabama county’s video is supported by advertising, Leusner said “We did not want to be in the advertising business.” Thus the cost will be borne by the department.
“If this is successful, and we get thousands of views of crimes, I think it is something worth the expense,” said Leusner.
Leusner cited text tips received daily by the department from the Cape May County Sheriff’s Department TIP 411 program as proof that people, armed with smartphones, are using the anonymous way to report to law enforcement about crimes and other suspicious activity.
Those posters, placed in schools, recreation departments and other places especially frequented by young people, were approved by the Cape May County Chiefs of Police Association, County Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Department prior to school’s start last September. Printing was done in the county’s printing office.
“I would say there is a definite trend using smartphones to report tips,” said Leusner.
A release from the department announcing the video’s release stated, “This month’s ‘Crime Watch’ video highlights six cases that range from burglary to theft. Our hope is this video will be shared by our Facebook fans and retweeted by our Twitter followers, resulting in thousands of views and in turn generating tips to help us identify the perpetrators and solve these crimes.
“We plan on releasing a ‘Crime Watch’ video each month highlighting different crimes. We have had great success with sharing information related to various crimes with the public on social media and we are hopeful the public will respond again to help us solve these crimes.”
View Middle Township Police’s April Crime Watch video on their Youtube channel: http://goo.gl/OAXjae.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
