Crime stoppers take unusual step of accepting anonymous tips from victims of extortion- related crimes

Since issuing an appeal a month ago for information on the recent extortion-related shootings largely centred in Surrey, Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers has taken the unusual step of deciding to accept tips from extortion victims, which is a break from its usual policy.

“Normally, we don’t accept tips from crime victims themselves as they may be in immediate need of help and should call 9-1-1 or the police directly,” says Linda Annis, Executive Director of Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers. “However, in this instance we’ve to decided to relax that and accept information from targets of extortion threats, knowing their information may be of value to police.”

“Extortion, and other extortion-related crimes, are sometimes among the almost 5000 tips Crime Stoppers receives each year,” Annis explains. “In the past 18 months or so, we’ve had more than 70 extortion-related tips, and each and every one of them has been handed over to the police. With the ongoing threats and violence against South Asian businesses we’ve seen in Surrey and elsewhere, we continue to urge anyone with information to call us if they fear for their own safety and don’t want to be identified in any way, and that includes people who’ve been threatened or become extortion victims.”

In last month’s announcement, Annis also pointed out it’s important to note Crime Stoppers is not the police. “We understand some new Canadians might have feared the authorities in their home countries. While they’re free of that burden here in Canada, a deep-seated mistrust of the police is still hard to overcome. Let me assure everyone that Crime Stoppers is not the police, and that it is totally safe for anyone to call our ANONYMOUS tips line. Even if the information seems minor, it could turn out to be a missing piece of the puzzle police need to solve the case.”

“You can trust Crime Stoppers to make sure you’re never identified by anyone,” Annis added. “Your anonymity is guaranteed by the Supreme Court of Canada, and you’ll never be questioned or called to testify in court.”