Gov. Perry Announces Increased Funding for Top 10 Most Wanted Rewards
Press Release
Gov. Perry Announces Increased Funding for Top 10 Most Wanted Rewards
Gov. Rick Perry today announced that the Governor's Criminal Justice Division is providing additional funding for Texas Crime Stoppers and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to increase rewards for fugitives on the Texas Top 10 Most Wanted list to $5,000, with some rewards reaching up to $50,000.
"Texas is committed to keeping our families and communities safe and ensuring that individuals who commit crimes in the Lone Star State are apprehended and receive the appropriate punishment," Gov. Perry said. "These rewards will encourage Texans who may have details about these offenders to speak up and help bring these criminals to justice."
In the past, Texas Crime Stoppers has provided a $1,000 cash reward to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of these fugitives. Rewards may vary for each fugitive, although all Top 10 rewards currently stand at $5,000.
"The higher rewards will provide additional incentive to assist in apprehending these dangerous criminals, who are generally wanted for violent crimes such as murder, rape and robbery and are often gang members who pose a significant threat to public safety," DPS Director Steven McCraw said. "The sooner we apprehend them, the better chance we have to prevent additional crimes."
"Rewards to anonymous tipsters have a proven track record," Texas Crime Stoppers Council Executive Director Betty Bosarge said. "Since 1979, when the first Crime Stoppers program was established in Texas, calls have led to the arrests of 114,000 criminals, recovered $182 million in stolen property, and led to the seizure of $800 million in narcotics, all without taxpayer funding."
Local programs receive court fees from convicted felons, which are used to pay rewards.
Any fugitive should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of any of these fugitives should call 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). The Crime Stoppers hotline is open 24 hours a day. Callers' anonymity is guaranteed by law.
To view Texas' Top 10 Most Wanted fugitives, please visit
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/wanted/.
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