On May 5, 1982, the very first case was closed by the Virginia Beach Crime Solvers Program.
Three people were arrested for destroying equipment at the Hells Point Golf course in Sandbridge. A caller from the Crime Line helped identify the vandals.
Of course that's not the biggest crime a tipster would help solve, but it was significant because it was the start of something that would change the way the police department solved cases.
Virginia Beach Police Chief James Cervera was a young detective on a burglary case when he saw firsthand how anonymous calls to the Crime Line got results.
“I walked into the office, was given the information right then. We were able to put the entire case together, recovered the property, put the bad guys in jail, bring the property back to the rightful owner all within a 12-hour period of time,” says Cervera.
In the late 80's, tipsters helped solve two high-profile cases.
First was the case of the acid attacker. In December of 1988, a man attacked women who were shopping by throwing acid on them. A tip led to the arrest of Michael Prina.
Then there was a double homicide in 1989 at a car dealership. The owner and an employee were gunned down on a February evening. A call to Crime Solvers helped arrest a suspect within days of the shooting.
“You use the term 'taking action against crime.' I think a majority of citizens exactly want to do that,” says Cervera.
A Crime Solvers tip would blow a case wide open in June of 1995. The Oceanfront was covered with pictures of missing college student Jennifer Evans. A NewsChannel 3 report told viewers about her mysterious disappearance.
A tipster called and identified the man as Navy SEAL trainee Dustin Turner.
Within days, the missing persons case became a murder investigation and Dustin Turner and Billy Joe Brown were eventually convicted of Jennifer's murder.
Since 1982, anonymous tips have helped identify and arrest suspects in 76 homicides.
And the addition of a regional crime line number, 1-888-LOCK-U-UP only improved the program.
“It's genius. It's a media marketing genius way to do business, and it was two detectives in our police department Mike Derwin and Jim Barnes. They came up with this number and it has been the biggest hit,” says Cervera.
It allows Hampton Roads police departments to work together under one easy-to-remember Crime Line number.
That regional cooperation helped in a July 2009 carjacking and kidnapping case.
Seventeen-month-old Naomi Hilel was in the back seat of her mother's van when it was stolen.
She was later found in the parking lot of a Newport News hotel.
A Crime Line caller gave police information on the suspect.
That led police to Matthew Nash in upstate New York where he was arrested.
Over the past 30 years, the Crime Solvers Program has led to the arrest of more than 7,000 people and the seizure of more than 32 million dollars in stolen property and illicit drugs.
“What happens is, they realize it's just a matter of time. You know the old saying, you can run, but you cannot hide. This is one way we say you can run but you can't hide,” says Cervera.
You can take action against crime to help close another Virginia Beach case.
Police are looking for a fugitive accused of several felonies.
They are searching for 38-year-old Michael Eugene Taylor, Sr.
Investigators say he broke into several different businesses at the end of last year.
Taylor is charged with several crimes including breaking and entering, destruction of property, grand larceny.
If you have any information about Michael Taylor, call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
If you were a member of the Virginia Beach Crime Solvers from 1982 to the present, please contact the office at 757-385-8997.
