Florida Convenience Stores Partner With State to Fight Crime

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla.—The Florida attorney general’s office has partnered with convenience stores statewide to encourage the anonymous reporting of crimes to law enforcement, reports WTSP.com.

The state and the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association will distribute signage to nearly 7,000 convenience stores to display on their front doors and behind the counters. The signage will promote **TIPS, a statewide anonymous crime reporting line. Prior to the creation of **TIPS’ a year ago, the crime-reporting process required users to dial the local Crime Stoppers’ number directly. Now, the program lets citizens anonymously report crime and collect rewards for tips that lead to an arrest from anywhere in the state.

When a citizen calls **TIPS from a cellphone, in addition to routing the caller to Crime Stoppers, a smartphone application link is sent to the caller, enabling that individual to download the free Florida Crime Stoppers app, which is another way for individuals to report tips. Like any phone call made to Florida Crime Stoppers, all tips through the app are anonymous.

Earlier this year, Attorney General Ashley Moody announced that the maximum allowable award amount of reward money would go from $5,000 to $9,500 for anonymous tips that lead to arrests.

"[It’s] not just law enforcement that has to stand up, be brave, engage and push back against violent criminals who want to prey on our communities," said Moody.

“I would like to thank the attorney general and her staff for partnering with Florida Petroleum Marketers Association on this **TIPS program. Any tool that we can use to prevent or assist in criminal activity, our members are here to help,” said Ned Bowman, executive director, Florida Petroleum Marketers Association.

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