Crime Stoppers was developed to enable the public to participate without fear of reprisal and to make it easier for witnesses to volunteer information anonymously.
[citation needed] Within 72 hours, a male called in identifying a car which he had seen leaving the scene at high speed; he had noted its registration.
[citation needed] Since the first chapter was officially formed in Albuquerque in 1976, Crime Stoppers in the United States has been responsible for more than a million arrests and more than US$11 billion in recovered property.
While the individual programs are local or regional in nature, mostly run by non-profit groups or directly by police, various national and international umbrella organizations exist.
[12] In Northern Ireland, the Crime Stoppers number often features predominantly on the force's vehicles, including its notable Land Rover Tangis.