Two related crimes earlier this month in Great Bend resulted thousands of dollars in property loss, according to information from Great Bend Police Chief Akings, a spokesman for Crime Stoppers. One business has announced a $2,000 reward for information in solving the crimes.
The crimes occurred the night of Thursday, Dec. 5, or early on Dec. 6, at Harper Camperland, located at 1200 East 10th St., and Rosencrantz-Bemis Water Well Co., located at 1105 U.S. 281 Bypass.
Sometime between 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 and 8:15 a.m. on Dec. 6, a fence that separates Harper Camperland and Rosencrantz-Bemis was cut. Three campers were broken into and three LED televisions, a DVD player and a comforter were stolen. Loss and damages were $11,000.
Sometime before 6:50 a.m. on Dec. 6, a gate at Rosencrantz-Bemis was damaged, along with the fence. Stolen items included a 2011 Ford F-350 truck with a special bed, and two toolboxes with tools and supplies. Loss was $50,375.
The truck was later recovered at Kiowa Road and Third St. and returned to its owners.
JP Postlethwaite, secretary/treasurer for Crime Stoppers of Great Bend and Barton County, said anyone with information about this crime can call Crime Stoppers, 792-1300 or 888-305-1300. Crime Stoppers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for anonymous tips that lead to arrests, convictions and/or property recovery.
“Beside the rewards Crime Stoppers is willing to pay, the owners of Harper Camperland wish to inform our community that they are willing to pay $2,000 to anyone who will come forward with information leading to an arrest,” Postlethwaite said. “They are doing this on there own and it is not part of Crime Stoppers. The person coming forward with this information does not have to stay anonymous, like a Crime Stoppers tip must be.”
That does create some logistical problems for Crime Stoppers, Postlethwaite noted.
 “Crime Stoppers has strict rules they must abide by and are sometimes challenged with large rewards, by the IRS, wanting a 1099 form, which will give up the caller’s name. Crime Stoppers and the law enforcement do not ever know the name of the caller, and never can.”
Postlethwaite wants anyone who might provide information to know that it would be possible to collect both rewards, but if ever challenged by the Internal Revenue Service, the name, if known, will have to given up to the IRS.