WEST POINT — Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers assisted in the arrest of eight individuals and helped recover $4,000 worth of stolen property in the last month.
During the October meeting of the Crime Stoppers board, held Wednesday at the West Point/Clay County Community Growth Alliance, Lt. Jeff Guyton of the Columbus Metro Narcotics Unit and Crime Stoppers coordinator, suggested $1,600 in rewards be paid out to individuals for providing tips which led to the arrests and recoveries.
Tips to Crime Stoppers led to the arrests of three individuals, including one juvenile, in the burglary of 10 homes and autos in Columbus, an arrest for the burglary of Stromboli”s in Starkville, the arrest of two men for manufacturing methamphetamines and arrests in several other cases.
Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers has helped recover $1.4 million in stolen property in seven counties since its inception in 1991.
Crime Stoppers also plans to run segments on local television news programs aimed at generating new information on cold cases.
Eddie Scott, chief deputy for the Clay County Sheriff”s Department and a member of the Crime Stoppers board, discussed plans to recap several Clay County cases, including the 1996 disappearance of Jesse Barnes, the 2007 murder of Margaret Jensen and an unsolved murder from 1992.
“Basically, Crime Stoppers gives a synopsis of what we know happened. We get it out there and try to get folks calling in,” said Scott. “We try to loosen them up to talk with some money.”
Crime Stoppers recently ran a segment on the unsolved murder of Roosevelt Pernell III.
Robert Rupert, 39, who already was incarcerated on a conviction for sale of cocaine, has been charged and arraigned for Pernell”s murder.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge in Clay County Circuit Court, last week; his case is expected to be heard late next year.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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