"Crimeline" Increasing Rewards Hoping to Catch More Criminals

Lubbock's longtime anonymous tip line "Crimeline" is increasing the rewards they offer for tips leading to criminals. 

President of Crimeline Jim Sexton says they've paid out far less in the last few years, and now they find themselves with a surplus. He wants to put that money to good use, and catch more criminals.

"We need to stop crime and they are doing a good job but maybe this will add to it," said Sexton.

Sexton says he hopes increasing rewards for criminals will lead to more arrests.

"It's just about incentivizing them to come forward anonymously whatever the case may be and get law enforcement the information so we can follow up and hopefully get a closure on the case," said Lubbock County Sheriff Kelly Rowe.

Rowe joined with Lubbock Police, the District Attorney, and Crimeline leadership in announcing a joint effort to catch more criminals. They call Crimeline a valuable resource since the 1970s, but now hope to make it even more valuable.

"We are up to a number that I think it people will get peoples attention and get information to law enforcement that will help solve crimes.

The reward amount for murder went up from $1,000 to $5,000 and the rewards for Lubbock's most wanted criminals went up to $1,000.

"Maybe somebody it's worth 5,000 where it might have not been worth 1,000 for them to come forward to give us the information," said Powell.

The increased rewards will come with pushes on social media and the start of a "Criminal of the Week Program."

"We are going to start highlighting various unsolved significant crimes that have occurred whether that is cold case homicides to the burglaries of habitation when we have strong patterns on," said Rowe.

Sexton says besides expanding Crime line rewards, he'd like to start a crime line program with LISD that would incentive students to report any crimes they hear of.

As soon as they start the "Criminal of the Week Program" you'll see it right here on KLBK.