Showing posts with label Crime Stoppers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crime Stoppers. Show all posts
Monday, April 14, 2014
Friday, January 24, 2014
Belvidere Culver's employee charged with identity theft, 80 victims - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL
Jennifer Wheeler
Leads from victims and business owners led authorities to the 1800 block of Crestwood Avenue in Rockford where authorities executed a search warrant. There, officers seized computer equipment, an electronic credit card writer, blank credit cards, receipts, drug paraphernalia, cannabis and a vehicle.Authorities said they believe that Peck obtained credit and debit card numbers while working the drive-thru window. Police say they believe there were more than 80 victims who collectively lost thousands of dollars in the past 60 days.On Thursday, police examined the computer that was seized during the search warrant and were able to obtain a list of potential victims. Officers will be making contact with each one.
Click on the following for more detail: Belvidere Culver's employee charged with identity theft, 80 victims - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Monday, November 19, 2012
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Crime Stoppers Repairs Charitable Trust Status
Part I
By James Middleton
Many organizations hold status as a charitable trust.
This designation is granted after documents are filed with
the State of Illinois. To sustain this designation, groups
must file periodic reports attesting to their financial status.
The reporting requirement is one element of compliance
that the group must provide to sustain the benefits of a
charitable trust designation. However, at times, errors occur
regarding compliance as was the case with Boone County
Crime Stoppers who found their charitable trust designation
in jeopardy.
These annual reports must go to state government to
show financial activity during a calendar year. One reason
an entity chooses a charitable trust designation is so that
donors may make contributions and obtain a tax deduction.
Boone County Crime Stoppers enjoyed a charitable trust
designation until February 15 when that title was called into
question because of non-compliance by Attorney General
Lisa Madigan. A letter from Ms. Madigan identified its
purpose as, “RE: Notice of Cancellation of
Boone County Crime Stopper as a registrant under the
Charitable Trust and/or Solicitation for Charity Act for the
Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009.”
The letter focused on the group’s failure to report their
annual financial status to retain their charitable designation.
The letter continued, “Our records, as of February 15,
2011, [show] that Boone County Crime Stoppers has NOT
(emphasis from the letter) filed a complete annual report
(Form AG990-IL and all required attachments and fees)
as required by the Charitable Trust and the Solicitation for
Charity Acts for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2007,
2008 and 2009.”
The letter further set a deadline for delivery of the
reports from the delinquent years to arrive by March 15,
2011. “Therefore,” the letter continued, “notice is hereby
given that registration of Boone County Crime Stoppers
under the Charitable Trust and/or Solicitation for Charity
Acts is deemed delinquent and not in good standing. Please
note, unless all fees are paid and the reports for the years
ending December 31, 2007, 2008 and 2009 are filed on or
before February 15, 2011 with this office, registration of
Boone County Crime Stopper shall be canceled on March
15, 2011.”
Even though the Attorney General gave Boone County
Crime Stoppers until March 15 to comply, the actual date that
the Attorney General’s office recognized their receipt of the
missing documents occurred on April 27. This information
was confirmed by the Attorney General’s office. Predicated
upon this disclosure it would appear that Boone County
Crime Stoppers did lose their charitable status with the state
of Illinois; however, the matter has been put to rest.
Many efforts have been made to reach officials at Boone
County Crime Stoppers to respond to questions about
this matter. Those efforts have failed to bear results. The
director and others have been called but no one of authority
has been available to respond for more than a month.
Crime Stoppers is a national organization and most
local groups are non-profit agencies comprised of residents
working with police to obtain intelligence to prevent crime.
Boone County Crime Stoppers and similar groups offer cash
rewards of up to $1,000 for tips that lead police to apprehend
perpetrators of crimes.
Local Crime Stopper groups operate with secure
telephone lines to receive tips from sources and there is a
policy to make reward payments while providing anonymity
for informants.
The parent Crime Stoppers organization was created in
1976 through the efforts of a detective in the Albuquerque
Police Department. The first group was created to help
police obtain information regarding those that perpetrated a
series of unsolved crimes.
A community effort followed with help from the local
media to obtain tips that led to arrests. Cash rewards were
offered for information and soon three were arrested for the
homicide of a young student.
Today there are Crime Stopper groups in America,
Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia. The organization
promotes a successful conviction rates reaching over 95
percent in crimes that have led to arrests resulting from tips
to the police.
Law enforcement officials nationwide promote the
benefit provided by Crime Stoppers. Belvidere Police
Chief Jan Nobel said, “In most police investigations of
felonies we usually find that there is someone that has vital
information of that crime.” He added, “Crime Stoppers has
been a big step we have had to solve many crimes.”
The Chief also said, “Using money paid by those that
committed a crime, to catch others that have also committed
crimes is a very good use of that money.”
Chief Nobel was referring to how funding to Crime
Stoppers occurs. Though the organization is a charitable
trust, most funding arises from the 17th Circuit Court as
court ordered payments from those convicted of felony
crimes and some misdemeanors.
Boone County State’s Attorney Michelle Courier
explained that money coming from the Court is the result of
a court order. Judges in every jurisdiction have discretion
in the extent and the application of fines to be paid and
sentences to be served within legal guidelines.
Ms. Courier added that the size and the amount ordered
can depend, in part, upon the individual’s ability to pay.
The state’s attorney added that it does no one any good
if the court orders a payment that is impossible for the
convicted party to pay.
Ms. Courier said that most convicted of felonies and
some convicted of misdemeanors will be ordered to make
payment to Crime Stoppers. Ms. Courier said that often
those convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) are
ordered to pay Crime Stoppers.
Funding that flows to the organization can be significant.
This was not always the case, but since the Circuit Court
began to impose court-ordered payments the revenue
stream increased.
The organization reported receipts in February 2011
over $6,600. In March, 2011, that amount escalated to
over $10,000. Sources indicated that the level of funding
depends upon the volume of criminal cases resolved and
the amount of the court-ordered payment. These amounts
can vary from month to month during a calendar year.
Expenditures over the same period to pay for anonymous
tips in February amounted to $200. In March 2011, $300
was paid for three anonymous tips. The amount and number
of awards paid to informants can also vary during a year.
Total holdings of Boone County Crime Stoppers in
February 2011 amounted to over $231,000 after expenses
were paid. In March, that total escalated to over $240,000,
after paying expenses of $1,560.
Sources suggest that debate has arisen regarding just
how this money could best be used. The major expenses
reported over the two previous months cited amounted to
advertising expenses to The Boone County Journal, The
Boone County Shopper, The Belvidere Daily Republican
and Rockford Register Star.
The group has distributed some scholarships. However,
this method has been used on only a few occasions. Previous
scholarships have been granted for about $1,000 each.
Possible use of Crime Stoppers funding has been
considered for Belvidere School District #100 and North
Boone School District #200. Some ideas focused on funding
surveillance cameras at the schools. An expenditure noted
in February 2011 had a firm as recipient of $10,640; Audio
Engineering. In parenthesis, the word “school” is listed
without reference to which school or district contracted
for that service or what product was provided in the handwritten
report from February 2011.
A second piece will follow looking at procedures
employed by Boone County Crime Stoppers to engage
and award anonymous sources. This second piece plans to
examine how those procedures are exercised and how they
have benefited local law enforcement.
Further, we will look into third-party financial oversight
and if the group employs financial audits as a means to
validate the use of and the extent of their funding.
The initial question from the Attorney General’s office
regarding the missing charitable trust annual reports was
resolved on April 27, 2011. Boone County Crime Stoppers
is now, according to the Illinois Attorney General, in good
standing. There are, however, other questions regarding
how policy functions for Crime Stoppers, and we will seek
to focus on those questions with other sources in a followup
piece.
The above article is from page 7 of the June 3, 2011, Boone County Journal which is available this week at merchants across the county and on line at: http://boonecountyjournal.com/news/2011/Boone-County-News-06-03-11.pdf#page=3
Friday, May 27, 2011
Police seeking information on armed robbery of Aldi
Police seeking information on armed robbery of Aldi
Wednesday, 25 May 2011 14:32 Editor
Rob Carroll photo. Belvidere Police are seeking information on an alleged armed robbery that occurred at Aldi, 1021 North State St., on May 21.
BELVIDERE - The Belvidere Police Department is seeking information on an alleged armed robbery that occurred May 21.
At approximately 8 p.m., Belvidere Police officers responded to an armed robbery call at the Aldi grocery store, 1021 North State St.
According to witnesses, a subject entered the store at closing time, approximately 7 p.m., and displayed a handgun. The subject tied up two employees and demanded money. The subject then fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash. Neither employee was injured during the incident.
The suspect is described as a black male, 5’8”, 180 pounds, short black hair and wore a black cap.
Belvidere police detectives responded to the scene and are investigating the case.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the Belvidere Police Department 815-544-2135 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 815-544-2135 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or Crime Stoppers 815-547-7867 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 815-547-7867 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Thursday, April 21, 2011
What does it take to get a non-profit corporation to comply with the law?
Here is an update on long story on Boone County Crime Stoppers.
I previously provide information indicating that its charitable status with the Illinois Attorney General was in question. SEE: http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2011/04/is-boone-county-crime-stoppers.html As shown by the letter from the Illinois Attorney General (AG) shown below, Boone County Crime Stoppers is not complying with state law.
Click on the photocopy to enlarge:
Based upon the AG’s letter I made the following request to Boone County’s State Attorney, Michelle Courier:
March 21, 2011
Michelle J. Courier
Boone County States Attorney
601 North Main
Belvidere, Il 61008
Dear Ms. Courier:
I wish to notify you of Boone County Crime Stoppers’ apparent failure to provide required filings to State Of Illinois. I believe your office should be concerned because Boone County Crime Stoppers (BCCS) has a page on Boone County’s website (http://www.boonecountyil.org/content/crime-stoppers) and receives periodic contributions from the Seventeenth Circuit Court’s felony fine account.
As shown by the six attachments, BCCS has not provided annual reports to the Illinois Attorney General since 2003 and based upon the Attorney General’s Letter of February 15, 2011 is “no longer in good standing”. This could in part be an address problem, in as much as the address of the “old post office” at 103 South State is being used, however no reports have been apparently submitted since 2003.
I have contacted BCCS at the phone number stated on Boone County website (815 547 7867) and they have not returned my call.
BCCS should comply with State Law and BCCS’s financials should be available to the public on the Attorney General’s website: http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/charities/search/searchItems.jsp. I am seeking your assistance to insure that these citizen’s rights will be preserved, however I believe that your office has more specific legal duties regarding BCCS.
You are the county’s attorney and the county’s website is involved. The BCCS’s web page indicates that contributions to BCCS are tax deductible. However BCCS apparently does not comply with the state charities and trust acts. Lacking such compliance, BCCS’s page on the county’s website should be reviewed and corrected to insure that the public is aware of BCCS proper classification as a charity under federal and state law.
You are the chief prosecutor for the Circuit Court and the court is a primary funding source for BCCS. I request that you as an officer of the Circuit Court inform the judges in writing of BCCS’s legal situation with the Attorney General and initiate a suspension of further payment to BCCS.
I have enclosed copies of all documents received from the Attorney General Office’s in their letter of February 23, 2011.
Thank you for your cooperation. I would appreciate a reply in writing to my requests.
States Attorney Courier replied immediately with the following letter:
As it turns out Mr. Nathan Noble is not Boone county Crime Stoppers’ legal counsel but BCCS assumed he was and used him as their designated counsel on its last corporate registration. Ms. Courier has contacted the Boone County Crime Stoppers’ board. She stated to me orally that BCCS has submitted the required forms to the state and that BCCS stated that the AG’s office stated it was “OK” to continue operating as an Illinois approved charity.
As of yet I have received no direct response from BCCS.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Dead man found in Boone County field was wanted for cop assault
BELVIDERE — A local farmer found the body of a 21-year-old wanted Poplar Grove man in a field Wednesday.
The body of Travis M. Radford, who is listed as one of Belvidere/Boone County’s Most Wanted, was discovered in a wooded area in the 12000 block of Beaverton Road in rural Boone County about 3 p.m.
The cause of death has not yet been released. The Boone County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the body at 9 a.m.
Click on the following for more details on the Rockford Register Star article: Dead man found in Boone County field was wanted for cop assault - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
UPDATE 10:30PM 4/15/2010
Boone County Body Ruled Homicide
The investigation into a body found in Boone County on Wednesday has been ruled a murder.
Police say the circumstances surrounding Travis Radford's death are suspicious.
21 year old Travis Radford... seen here in a 2009 Boone County Jail mugshot... died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
He was found in a wooded area off of a farm field wednesday.
Radford had problems with police since 2007. He was put on the Boone County most wanted list this month for a 2009 assault on a police officer.
Court records show he also faced theft, drug, and alcohol charges. He also had several traffic violations ranging from speeding to leaving the scene of an accident.
Police say Radford appeared to have been homeless at the time... and detectives are busy.
"There's a lot of information out there, he did have a lot of contacts in the Boone County area."
Police don't know yet if Radford was murdered next to the field... or if his body was hidden there.
Farmer Don Ellingson's son found the body. He says he knew there was foul play when he saw the body.
"A boy doesn't go out in a wooded area without any shoes on, how'd he get there, there was no vehicle, and you don't go walking in the country without any shoes."
Ellingson never expected something like this to happen.
"All my life I've heard about people finding dead bodies on the farm, I've often wondered about it, never thought it'd happen, but it did."
The sheriff's department says there are a lot of leads to follow, and the investigation is far from finished
Here is the Crime Stoppers’ ad from the Boone County Journal: http://boonecountyjournal.com/news/2011/Boone-County-News-04-15-11.pdf#page=9
Click on the photocopy to enlarge:
Belvidere Daily Republican’s article on the discovery of the body:
Body of Poplar Grove man discovered in wooded area
Friday, 15 April 2011 14:07 Editor
POPLAR GROVE - The Boone County Sheriff’s office is investigating the discovery a body April 13 near the 12000 block of Beaverton Road. According to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, the body of Travis M. Radford, 21, of Poplar Grove, was found in a wooded area.
The body was discovered at approximately 3 p.m. by a local farmer.
The cause of death has not yet been determined.
The Boone County Coroner’s Office was scheduled to conduct an autopsy on April 14.
A phone call made to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office seeking information was not returned as of press time.
The Belvidere Daily Republican will have more on this story in the coming days.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Qs for Crime Stoppers for McHenry County
The following is taken from Gus Philpott’s Blog Woodstock Advocate [http://woodstockadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/04/qs-for-crime-stoppers-for-mchenry.html].
I just wonder --could not the same questions and situations be occurring in Boone County? The IRS does recognize Boone County Crime Stoppers as a tax deductible charity but Boone County Crime Stoppers is no longer registered with the Charitable Trust of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. SEE: http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2011/04/is-boone-county-crime-stoppers.html
Qs for Crime Stoppers for McHenry County
Some questions continue to remain answered by Crime Stoppers of McHenry County, and they aren't going away.
How did you spend the $50,000 you received from the McHenry County Circuit Court over the past 3+ years? Other than the $3,400 paid out for tips in 2009, what did you do with the rest of the money?
Other than this $50,000, how much did you receive from donations and other sources?
Other than Helen Torscher, who won't answer letters or email, and Richard Heizer, who has yet to return my telephone call of March 4, who are the other Board members?
Why does CrimeStoppers USA believe you are a 501(c)(3) organization, which is required for membership in CrimeStoppers USA, but IRS doesn't know of you?
Why aren't you registered with the Charitable Trust Bureau (CTB) of the Illinois Attorney General's office? Isn't this required for any organization that receives donations? (Hint: the CTB says registration is required.)
Monday, April 4, 2011
Is Boone County Crime Stoppers complying with the law?
I have made a number of postings regarding the financials of various charities in the greater Boone County Area. Most charities are required to annually report to the Illinois Attorney General. Their reports are available at: http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/charities/search/index.jsp
When Boone County Crime Stoppers (BCCS) was not listed on this website I called the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and requested additional information under the Freedom of Information Act.
It appears that Boone County Crime Stoppers has not been complying with the law and soon may have its registration canceled. Please see the February 15, 2011 letter from the Illinois Attorney General shown below:
Click on the photocopy to enlarge:
Boone County Crime Stoppers is prevalently posted on the Boone County website: .http://www.boonecountyil.org/content/crime-stoppers See the three photocopies below:
Will Boone County Crime Stoppers submit the required paperwork? Should Boone County government continue to allow BCCS to use their website based upon BCCS’s current legal status?
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Woodstock Advocate: McHenry County Crime Stoppers Secrecy Continues
McHenry County Crime Stoppers Secrecy Continues By Gus Philpott
Requests to Crime Stoppers for McHenry County for information continue to go unanswered. Recently, I emailed Mary Torscher, who identified herself last October as Secretary of the organization in her sole response. I asked whether Crime Stoppers for McHenry County is a Federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and, if so, its FEIN.
Has she replied? Has she even acknowledged my request? No, on both accounts.
There is a national Crime Stoppers organization called Crime Stoppers USA. On its website they list "McHenry County Crime Stoppers" as a member. A membership requirement is 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS.
The problems?
The business name is not "McHenry County Crime Stoppers". The Illinois Secretary of State has recorded the legal name as "Crime Stoppers for McHenry County". Correct legal names are important.
And IRS has no record of either name.IRS does list a McHenry Area Crime Stoppers, but this is the old program of the McHenry (Ill.) Police Department, not the County-wide Crime Stoppers group. Even Crime Stoppers USA confused the old McHenry Area Crime Stoppers with Crime Stoppers for McHenry County. Now they know that they are different.
This wouldn't be such a big deal, except for the stone-walling by the Crime Stoppers for McHenry County organization. By hiding out behind a P.O. Box and refusing to respond to letters (and emails, since I found Torscher's email address), it beginning to feel like they have something to hide.
Do the board members know that the Secretary is ignoring legitimate inquiries?
If the organization is not a 501(c)(3) organization, it is not eligible to be a member of Crime Stoppers USA. Will it be eliminated from membership until it can meet that requirement?
Where are the financial records of Crime Stoppers for McHenry County? How much does it take in in a year and from what sources? Is it soliciting "donations" and leading contributors to believe that their contributions are tax-deductible? What are its expenditures?
Is an annual meeting and banquet planned for this month? Will it again be at the Woodstock Country Club? What does a fete like that cost? How much money did Crime Stoppers for McHenry County turn over to the McHenry County Sheriff's Department last year for equipment and training that the taxpayers ought to be paying for?
Why does it not care about concerns about the operation of the anonymous tip line? Three callers last year were less than satisfied, yet the organization expressed no interest in knowing what the problems were.
The only legitimate confidential part of Crime Stoppers is the identity of a caller to the tip line and the tip provided to law enforcement. Crime Stoppers is not a "black" operation. Its funding, operations and membership should be transparent.
The the above is from Gus Philpott’s blog , Woodstock Advocate. The article is available at : http://woodstockadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/02/crime-stoppers-secrecy-continues.html
Earlier stories by Gus on various Crime Stoppers are available on Woodstock Advocate. The titles and addresses are: Why so secretive?: http://woodstockadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-so-secretive.html ; Dallas officer accused in theft from CrimeStoppers : http://woodstockadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/01/dallas-officer-stole-from-crimestoppers.html ; "Official" website now for the missing Beth Bentley: http://woodstockadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/01/official-website-now-for-missing-beth.html
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