Crime Stoppers seeks tips after tire slashing in Jacksonville

Crime Stoppers of Morgan, Scott and Cass Counties was asking for tips after someone slashed the tires of an unoccupied vehicle parked on Eisenhower Drive in Jacksonville, leaving investigators with a property-crime case that turned on witnesses, video and local knowledge. The incident happened between 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, June 20, and police have not identified a suspect.

The vehicle was empty when it was damaged, a detail that points to vandalism aimed at property rather than people but still left the owner with a repair bill and a vehicle that could not be used as planned. The case was being handled as criminal damage, and the public notice was meant to widen the pool of people who may have seen unusual activity in that stretch of Eisenhower Drive.

Crime Stoppers said tips could be submitted by phone at 217-243-7300, through its website or through its Facebook page. The organization said tips are anonymous and that a tipster may be eligible for a cash reward if information leads to an arrest. That anonymity is a core part of how the program works in Morgan, Scott and Cass counties, where some residents may be more willing to share what they know privately than to step forward publicly.

The Jacksonville Police Department, which serves about 20,000 citizens, says its mission includes protecting life and property and working with community groups. The department also points residents to Crime Stoppers as a reporting option, making the tip line part of its broader patrol and community policing work in Jacksonville.

Crime Stoppers of Morgan, Scott and Cass Counties said it has served local communities for more than three decades and has long used anonymous reporting to support crime prevention. Similar Crime Stoppers notices have recently been used in Jacksonville for other unoccupied-vehicle cases, including a June 18 hit-and-run involving a parked car in the 200 block of West Walnut and an April 16, 2022 vehicle-damage case on Greenbriar Drive.

For residents and business owners along Eisenhower Drive, the immediate value is straightforward: review doorbell footage, lot cameras and anything unusual from that Saturday night window, then pass it along through Crime Stoppers without trying to investigate on your own. The open case still depends on the kind of small details a neighborhood notice can surface quickly.