Crime Stoppers call leads to bank robber's arrest
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on June 23, 2004 1:56 PM
A bank robbery was among the five cases that resulted in arrests recently because of anonymous calls to Goldsboro-Wayne County Crime Stoppers.
The robbery occurred May 21 at the New Century Bank on North Spence Avenue. A photograph obtained from the bank's surveillance camera was published in the May 23 edition of the News-Argus.
A day later a caller said the robber in the photo was named "Tubby." The nickname enabled law-enforcement officers to identify the man as Quentin Bryce Barnes, officers said.
While the information was being verified, several more callers said the man in the photo was Quentin Barnes, officers said.
Latent fingerprints obtained at the bank were compared to Barnes' prints on file. Police said the prints matched, and a warrant was obtained for Barnes, 18, of North George Street. He was located and charged with the robbery.
At least, the first caller was to be paid a cash reward for the information.
Another confidential informant's call enabled Goldsboro police Sgt. Ken Edwards and his C-shift officers to search a room April 17 at the Wayne Motel at 801 W. Grantham St. They arrested the tenant and charged him with two felony drug offenses.
William Tavaris Faison, 23, of Level Street was charged with possession with intent to sell cocaine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of keeping or selling drugs.
Six grams of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $1,200, and $99 were seized by officers.
The new Crime Stoppers police coordinator, Sgt. Dot Ardes, told the agency's monthly board of directors meeting that anonymous calls also helped police apprehend four fugitives.
Since the inception of Crime Stoppers in 1982, Executive Director Bill Troutman said, anonymous calls have helped officers solve 6,409 cases with arrests, capture 1,120 fugitives, and recover more than $2 million in stolen property.
Anyone with information on any crime in Wayne County was asked to call Crime Stoppers at 735-2255.
Callers may remain anonymous, and they may be eligible for cash rewards of up to $1,000, if their information leads to arrests in felony cases.