Columbia/Boone County CrimeStoppers launched a program on Saturday with the goal of boosting the recovery of illegal weapons.
The Illegal Criminal Weapon Recovery Program offers a $500 cash reward for anonymous tips that lead to a felony arrest or the recovery of an illegal weapon.
"We don't want them touching the weapon," Board President of CrimeStoppers John Fields said. "We just want them to let us know where it's at and that way law enforcement will be notified, they'll do their due diligence and do their investigation, and if they recover that weapon, what the person has to do just like they would do with any other Crime Stoppers tip, they'll have to get back with Crime Stoppers to find out if that weapon was recovered."
Since 2022, the Columbia Police Department said 838 stolen weapons have been recorded, and around 653 of those weapons were used in a crime.
"If you're a gun owner, make sure you secure your weapons," Fields said. "Don't leave your weapons in a vehicle unattended in an unlocked vehicle where somebody can get it. That's one of the main focuses of this is to teach people how to handle their weapons safely."
According to a Columbia Police Department Facebook post, citywide stolen firearms are down 56% so far this year compared to the last four years.
To report to CrimeStoppers, call 573-875-8477, report online at http://www.p3tips.com/899, or use Crime Stoppers QR codes located on buildings around Columbia.
