THOUSAND OAKS : Crime Stoppers Seeking Donations

Thousand Oaks, which boasts one of the lowest crime rates of any city in the county, is seeking donations from the community to replenish its Crime Stoppers Program, a police official said.

Crime Stoppers funds have hit an all-time low and need to be replenished so the program can continue, Sgt. Kitty Hoberg, liaison from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, said Friday.

The program--the only one of its kind in the county--pays cash rewards of up to $1,000 to informants who call in tips about crimes ranging from vandalism to armed robbery.

Hoberg said the program fund’s current balance of $2,000 is the lowest ever. If Crime Stoppers does not get more money, informants would have to wait longer to be paid their rewards, she said.

In January and February, the program was especially active, paying out $2,650 for information that helped solve nearly 50 crimes in the Conejo Valley, Hoberg said.

Since it began in 1986, the program has paid out $8,275 for tips that helped solve 156 crimes and led to the recovery of $51,875 in narcotics and stolen property, Hoberg said. “It’s a program completely funded by donations from the community,” she added.