Facebook Helps Philly Police Take A 'Like' Out Of Crime
By Kim Glovas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia Police Department has embraced social media and it's paid off in the increase in solved crimes.
The Philadelphia Police Department cites a robbery Tuesday at 11th and Moyamensing as the latest case where video from the crime scene helped identify the culprit. Police Lieutenant Ray Evers says video was posted on its Facebook page and Tweeted as soon as police received it.
"Wednesday we put up the video and within three-and-a-half hours, we had an identification and arrests on a young man who entered a corner store, robbed the store point-of-gun, and we had somebody on Facebook repost it to friends in her area, because she lived around 11th and Moyamensing, and we had an identification."
He says the Philadelphia Police Facebook page has 40,000 friends and is hoping to increase that number.
"Social media is definitely another tool in our arsenal to help solve crime. And with social media, the public can help the Philadelphia police department solve crime. You can look at your leisure at these crime videos or these stills and give us information."
Evers says whenever video or still photos are posted, it increases the department's chance of making an arrest by 25%.
