Energy Crime Stoppers Hotline Expands To Seven States

PRESS RELEASE

HOUSTON, April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy Crime Stoppers Hotline, a new program to stop energy industry theft, expands to seven states after a successful eight-month trial in Texas solved two cases and provided substantial leads toward pending arrests. The expansion was announced April 15 at Energy Security Council's annual conference.

Tipsters in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming now can join Texans to report anonymous tips through 888-645-TIPS (8477). Calls to Energy Crime Stoppers Hotline are routed through local crime stoppers and referred to appropriate law enforcement. Tipsters receive cash rewards for information leading to arrest and/or conviction for theft, fraud or crimes committed against energy companies. Tipsters receive a confidential code used to claim rewards for information leading to convictions. Tipsters also can report crime anonymously through Energy Security Council's website www.energysecuritycouncil.org

Tips called to 888-OIL-TIPS (645-8477) recently helped authorities recover $18,000 in stolen equipment from an electrical substation and $30,000 in generators ripped off from remote energy sites in Texas.

Investigators are actively following leads to complete arrests and deter energy industry crime, program leaders affirm.

"Energy Crime Stoppers Hotline works in Texas," says Susan Rogers, Odessa Crime Stoppers executive director and Energy Crime Stoppers advisor. "It gives crime stoppers another tool to address crime - targeting energy sector theft."

"Partnership with local crime stoppers drives our hotline's success,"said Dave Leiting, BP security director and chairman of Energy Security Council (ESC), the hotline's sponsor. "Tipsters know it's safe to call Energy Crime Stoppers with anonymous information. ESC funds the cash rewards."

"We're expanding this successful tool to neighboring states to solve crime at energy industry sites," says Tony Lapaglia, Apache Corp. security manager and ESC law enforcement liaison chair.

ESC members requested expansion of Energy Crime Stoppers Hotline to address energy sector theft, fraud and crime committed in other states at remote sites, such as electrical, wind and nuclear power, petrochemical, product storage, and oil and gas.

Crime stoppers organizations, law enforcement, energy companies and vendors interested in joining energy crime stoppers program can contact ESC for more information. ESC is an international non-profit professional networking organization with a mission to enhance safety, security and business operations of its diverse member companies, corporations and associates.

SOURCE Energy Security Council