Crime doesn’t pay – but Crime Stoppers does … but for how long?


Crime Stoppers is a civilian community organization devised to acquire information that assists law enforcement agencies in the resolution of crime. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards of up to $2,000.00 for information leading to the arrest of criminals, recovery of stolen property and seizure of illegal drugs while maintaining total anonymity to the caller and complete confidentiality of the tip.


Like the songstress, Joni Mitchell says … “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone!” and that may well be the case with Crime Stoppers.

Crime Stoppers is a civilian, non-profit, charitable organization that is entirely volunteer driven.  The group brings together police services, the media and the community in the fight against crime.

It gives the ordinary citizen the chance to have a voice in anonymously providing police with information about a crime or potential crime for which she or he has knowledge.

Having just celebrated its 30th anniversary year in Grey Bruce counties, Crime Stoppers has lead to 2,613 cases being solved with more than 1,590 arrests and the seizure of almost $52 Million in stolen property and illegal drugs.  The volunteer-driven organization has approved an incredible $256,500 in cash rewards for anonymous tips.

Last year alone (2017), Board Chair Betty Egerdeen says that 544 tips were received with almost $2,500 in property recovered along with $76,000 in drugs seized has approved $6,000 in rewards paid out.  “In addition, there 26 arrests made with 23 cases cleared and 80 charges laid.”

Crime Stoppers’ operating expenses and rewards paid out come from donations and fundraising.  Egerdeen says that “When it comes to Operating Expenses, there is one administrative staff in addition to key software, insurance, utility costs, promotional materials, office rental and, of course, the cash rewards paid out to tipsters. All paid for through fundraising and donations.”

“We are almost reaching the breaking point and only have enough funds to last approximately 18 months,” says Egerdeen. “We receive no funding from the government or police services that we are trying to help.  If it weren’t for our friends at Trillium Insurance who host our one major fundraising event each year, the Crime Stoppers Golf Tournament in Saugeen Shores, I don’t know what we would do.  The $25,000 they have donated to us each year at the tournaments, have kept us going.”

The small band of volunteers has been reaching out to municipalities and police services throughout Grey and Bruce for donations but with little success.  They have sent out letters to 21 municipalities and received eight outright declines from Northern Bruce Peninsula, Town of South Bruce, Huron-Kinloss, Owen Sound, Blue Mountains, Township of Chatsworth, Georgian Bluffs and West Grey.  Others have not even replied to the volunteer board’s request.

Brockton recently gave the organization $500 which had been requested last year.

“We are not requesting huge dollar amounts,” points out Egerdeen, “but simply funding that acknowledges the value that our service plays in communities and in support of their police services.”

“One thing unexpected last year and so far this year, is the support of some local Legions,” says Egerdeen. “Hanover Legion gave us $500 and we recently received $250 from the Owen Sound Legion.  It would appear that, at least, the Veterans understand and appreciate our service and how we are trying to keep our communities safe.”

Given the volunteer nature of the organization, the numbers it has affected are astounding.  As of November 30, 2017, Crime Stoppers Ontario has resulted in the following:

Arrests           123,875
Cases Cleared             132,731 
Rewards Paid $       8,116,206
Arson Loss Value $     16,672.779
Property Recovered $   304,650,287
Drugs Seized $1,845,149,488
Total Recovered $2,149,499,775

In Ontario, despite more than $2 Billion in property and drugs being recovered, Crime Stoppers receives no ‘Proceeds of Crime’.

Hopefully, the words of songstress Joni Mitchell, are not prophetic when it comes to Crime Stoppers … but it doesn’t look good.


If you have any information about these crimes you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222- TIPS (8477) or send us a secure web-tip at www.cstips.ca . You won’t be asked to identify yourself, you don’t have to appear in court and you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2000.

Remember Crime Doesn’t Pay – But Crime Stoppers Does!