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‘Caught in the Act’ — New initiative aims to identify suspected criminals

Posted at 4:07 PM, Jul 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-14 16:50:02-04

KENT COUNTY, Mich. -- There’s a new crime-fighting tool aimed at closing unsolved cases in West Michigan. The 'Caught in the Act' initiative was announced today by local law enforcement agencies and Silent Observer.

Many of the faces shown during a Thursday presentation were people who've committed retail fraud, but the crimes committed run the gamut. Local law enforcement hope you recognize and help them catch the suspected criminals.

"So this is the website that we built, highlighting surveillance photos," Chris Cameron with Silent Observer illustrated.

People simply go to Silent Observer's website, look through the photos, and click on a person's picture.

"If the user can identify them, they can go to this link here to submit a tip," said Chris Cameron with Silent Observer.

Users can anonymously fill out the form with any helpful information.  As cameras become higher resolution, the hope is the public can help identify suspects and lead police to arrests.

"We want the community to get involved and help the victims of any of these crimes by getting the worse criminals off the street," Cameron said.

She said there is a reward that typically ranges from $50 to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest. That will depend on the case.