Community provides funds for information

A group of Bethel businesses and residents have come together to offer a reward through Crime Stoppers for information about the two picnic tables that were damaged in Burke Park last December.

Police Chief Mark Planck said the weekend before the Bethel Down Home Christmas two older picnic tables were vandalized in the Burke Park shelter house.

“One was propped up against the wall and one was smashed into bits,” Planck said.

After two months of investigation Planck said his department is asking for help from the public.

Crime Stoppers spokesman Chuck Kreimer said anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Bethel Police at (513) 734-2256 or Crime Stoppers, 1-888-352-3040 or text: “CINTIP” with your message to CRIMES or 274637.

If the information provided leads to an arrest the tipster will be eligible to receive the reward provided by the community. Callers will remain anonymous and will not be required to testify in court.

“The Crime Stoppers tip line does not use any tape recording or caller ID devices,” Planck said in a press release.

According to Kreimer, tipsters receive a code number which is used to collect their reward.

Kreimer said it is unusual for a community the size of Bethel to provide a reward to Crime Stoppers and he said it pointed to the village’s strong sense of community.

Crime Stoppers has been providing an avenue of communication between the public and law enforcement in the Greater Cincinnati area since 1980. In that time the organization has paid over $1.6 million in rewards for crime solving tips.