TULSA, Okla. — As 2022 has wrapped, FOX23 will continue partnering with Crime Stoppers in 2023 to work toward a safer community.
FOX23 spoke with Crime Stoppers Executive Director Karen Gilbert about this partnership that began last year.
Arrests were made and crimes were solved. 2022 was a success for Tulsa Crime Stoppers. The community’s tips helped solve more than a dozen cases.
Here’s a look at the numbers:
- 5 homicides
- 5 burglaries
- 1 hit-and-run
- 1 auto theft
- 1 armed robbery
- 2 arson cases
The community’s tips also led the police to make two arrests involving warrants, one of which, FOX23 covered in June 2022 when we spoke with Tulsa Police Lt. Demetrios Treantafeles.
“Our unit was informed of a crime stoppers tip that had come in,” Treantafeles said. “Our unit served the warrant and we were able to recover 126 firearms that were in possession of a convicted felon.”
Gilbert said it was one of the biggest success stories of 2022 because the tip was generated on its own, never asked for by police.
She said that goes to show those who truly want to help don’t have to wait to be asked for it.
“I mean, if your friends are talking about crimes they committed and you want to make Tulsa a safer place, then please go ahead and call that tip-line,” Gilbert said.
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When sending in a tip, the sender is completely anonymous, and some of the tipsters even get paid for their intel. Many of them did in 2022.
“Once a month, our board meets and we go over those tips where arrests have been made and they’re the ones who approve those rewards,” Gilbert said. “Picking up that reward, you are still going to remain anonymous through that process. Don’t feel like a snitch. I mean, you are not a snitch you are making it a safer place for everybody to be here in the city.”
If you have any information on crimes in Tulsa or the surrounding communities, please call 918-596-COPS.