Conviction in Peter Vogel case shows Crime Stop working - manager
Published:Friday | June 30, 2017 | 12:00 AM
Prudence Gentles, manager for the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ)-driven Crime Stop programme, says she is elated with the role the entity has played in the conviction of Yanika Scott and Kelvin Downer for the murder of university lecturer Dr Peter Vogel.
"Crime Stop Jamaica is proud to know that they played a great part in this success. It says to those who may have information about other crimes that we are serious about taking it on and we will deliver and will keep them safe," Gentles said.
Ten years after Vogel was murdered at his home in College Common, St Andrew, in 2007, the case finally was brought to a close, with Downer and Scott being convicted of the crime on Thursday.
Gentles said that Crime Stop was approached in May 2008 by persons willing to offer a reward for information that would lead to the capture of the persons responsible for the murder of Vogel.
"We aired crime of the month sketch of the murder in June 2008 and, by December, Downer was caught. This speaks of the purpose of the programme. It took us some time, however, before Scott was brought in, after she was recognised working in a restaurant in Montego Bay," said Gentles.
"But even then, it highlighted the fact that Crime Stop is working," she added.
No caller compromised
She said that the information received by Crime Stop Jamaica, from anonymous sources eight and six year ago, provided the investigators with the leads that they needed to arrest the two individuals and build the case, which has resulted in a conviction.
"In the 28 years since Crime Stop Jamaica was launched by the PSOJ, no one has ever been compromised by calling Crime Stop Jamaica's toll free number, 311," Gentles noted.
Millions of dollars in reward money has been paid out and thousands of persons arrested for a wide range of crimes through information given to Crime Stop Jamaica.
Meanwhile, Gentles is urging the public to give all pertinent information that can assist the police in catching criminals as their role in the fight against crime.