receiving 279 calls from anonymous informants in the community.

And Crime Stoppers head McNeil Warner said over 70 percent of people who provided information had refused the cash reward.

Of the 279 calls, 196 have been drug related, 20 were for stolen cycles and 15 provided information for murder investigations, he continued.

Rewards paid out so far totaled $8,875, but Mr. Warner refused to say how that total was broken up or which tips had received more cash. He also did not say which recent high profile crime investigations had been aided by the programme.

He did however note that when one considered the value of the information received, they could see the community reaped big dividends for a comparatively small investment.

Other information offered had helped Police with robberies, stolen cheques, firearm recovery, road traffic accidents and larceny servant, he added.

Premier David Saul said the programme showed a determined community effort to stop crime and added that the Police could not be expected to do it alone.

He said he hoped to see the community being even bolder over the upcoming year in an attempt to stop crime even further with more people calling the anonymous number.

Crime Stoppers is a charitable tri-partite partnership between the media, Police and the community. Tipsters provide information anonymously to the Crime Stoppers number -- 1-800-623-8477 -- and if that information is valid they are offered a cash reward.