Crime Stoppers Bermuda has renewed a $100,000 appeal for information on gun violence in Bermuda.

The offer is being made through partnership with concerned members of the business community and Rise Above, Bermuda.

The $100,000 will be given to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of persons responsible for the increase of gun crime, said Crime Stoppers Bermuda chairman John Drew.

Full-page advertisements appeared in The Royal Gazette and the Bermuda Sun yesterday, with details on how persons may assist.

All reports are completely anonymous, Mr. Drew said.

"When someone in Bermuda calls the toll free hotline at 800-8477 they are transferred to a call station in Miami, Florida. Before the call reaches Florida their number is scrambled so that not even the person answering the call can identify where the call came from or who is calling.

"Unlike the Police who want to know everything from your name to what you had for breakfast, Crime Stoppers never asks for names or anything that could identify the caller."

Not even the detective who eventually gets the tip knows that the information was received through Crime Stoppers, he added.

"In the history of Crime Stoppers, which has services in many countries across the world, a caller has never been identified or forced to appear in court as a witness. If a caller is still concerned about being identified they could always call from a pay phone. People know who is committing these crimes but are scared to say anything for fear of the repercussions. We absolutely guarantee anonymity and all we ask is that people take the time to say what they know, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

"If we don't do something about this problem now, people will start to think that they can get away with it and it will only get worse."

Mr. Drew would not release local conviction rates for Crime Stoppers but described the programme as "very successful". He said it has led to convictions here.

l Crimes may be reported on 800-9477 or 900-TIPS. For more information visit www.crimestoppers.bm.