US: Online crime fighting nets bust: A first for new reporti

[Puffin13]

Online crime fighting nets bust: A first for new reporting option
By AARON SANBORN
Tuesday, July 29, 2008

DOVER — A 24-year-old local man was arrested Monday afternoon on charges of drug possession following the first-ever online Crimeline tip.

As part of a new function of the department's Crimeline website, tipping off police can be done in cyber space.

The tip was received on June 30 and led police to the apartment of Daniel Eason at 300 Plaza Drive, Apartment 12, according to Lt. David Terlemezian.

"It essentially identified that apartment," Terlemezian said of the tip. "The tipster mentioned foot traffic from the apartment and odors consistent with drug activity."

The following day a detective and a member of the state's Drug Task Force went to the apartment and Eason gave them his consent for a search, Terlemezian said. During the search police say they located a baggie of marijuana and two smoking pipes.

Warrants were generated for Eason's arrest as a result of the search and he turned himself in to police at around 2:30 p.m. on Monday. He was charged with possession of a controlled drug, a Class A misdemeanor, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a violation.

Eason was released on $500 personal recognizance and has an Aug. 15 court date at Dover District Court.

"This is a nice illustration of how the tip system works and its good for people to know that we act on it as soon as we get these tips," Terlemezian said.

The online tip function was added in June to the Crimeline website in hopes of adding another tool to the Crimeline program. Crimeline allows people to phone in tips anonymously to the department about illegal or criminal activity in the computer.

By expanding the tips to the Internet, it reaches out to another area of the population that relies heavily on computers and also provides another option for those concerned about their anonymity.

"It's just as anonymous, maybe more anonymous than calling," Terlemezian said, noting that some don't like calling because they don't want their voices heard.

The anonymous tip form asks residents to list what kind of activity is occurring, where it's occurring and to give a timetable for the activities. There is also a section where residents can identify the possible suspect in the case.

In the short time the online tip form has been available the department has received a few tips, Terlemezian said. He hopes once the word gets about the function, more people will start using it.

"After less than a month of operation, we were both surprised and excited by the response from the public," he said.

Source

[DC]

Mr Eason was later seen going door to door around each of his neighbours....carrying a machete.

[courtjester]

And his neighbors now resemble your avatar.