http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/crime/incident-reports/2011/activity_report_05-06-11.pdf
CRIME SOLVERS TIP LEADS TO ARREST: Crime Solvers programs around the region
are applauding their role in a recent capture. An anonymous tip through Crime Solvers assisted
police in the arrest of the highly sought-after “East Coast Rapist.” Detectives around the region
and as far reaching as Rhode Island and Connecticut worked with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation to create a website and billboard signs that ran up and down the east coast with
pertinent information in a series of sexual assaults. More than 12 women and children were
reportedly sexually assaulted by the same man. Those attacks began in Prince Georges County,
MD in February, 1997. The suspect then attacked women in Fairfax County, VA, Leesburg, VA,
Cranston, RI, New Haven, CT and Prince William County, VA. DNA in those cases all returned
to the same suspect. Detectives launched the billboards and website, bringing a great deal of
media attention to the story. That publicity reached an anonymous tipster who contacted Prince
Georges County Crime Solvers. The information provided by that tipster identified a suspect that
detectives were already investigating and accelerated the arrest of the alleged suspect, Aaron
Thomas, 39, of New Haven, CT, on March 6, in New Haven, CT. As a result of that arrest, the
anonymous tipster will now receive cash rewards from Prince Georges County Crime Solvers,
Fairfax County Crime Solvers and Prince William County Crime Solvers.
Crime Solvers is a non-profit, 501c3 organization that works to assist law enforcement by
providing the public an anonymous means to report information on crime and criminals. Crime
Solvers is not run by law enforcement. There are Crime Solvers programs operating around the
world under the same premise. Tipsters may phone, text or e-mail their tips and their anonymity
is protected under state law. Tipsters do not have to provide their names, phone numbers or any
other identifying information and they never have to appear in court. They receive a tip number
in exchange for their information. Throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., several
Crime Solvers programs participate in a regional, toll-free number: 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). In
addition, many of those participating agencies also provide texting and e-mail capabilities to
report information anonymously. The National Capital Area Crime Solvers regional tip line
covers the following jurisdictions: Charles County, Montgomery County and Prince Georges
County (MD); Arlington County, Fairfax County, City of Falls Church and Prince William
County (VA); Washington, D.C.