Bolo program puts $1 million on the table and unveils unprecedented incentive for community members to search for Canada’s most wanted fugitives

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Number one suspect wanted in brutal shooting in Toronto

TORONTO, April 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stacks of cash worth $1 million in rewards were on display Tuesday as the Bolo program announced a Top 25 update, as well as a new initiative aimed at encouraging Canadians to search to Canada’s top 25 most wanted fugitives.

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Bolo’s latest #1 suspect turned out to be Michael Bebee, wanted for the brazen murder exactly nine months ago of 29-year-old Toronto man Shamar Powell-Flowers. A reward of up to $100,000 was announced for any information leading to Bebee’s arrest.

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“To those who know Michael Bebee’s location, Shamar would have given you the benefit of the doubt, so we are trying to do the same,” Shamar’s family said in a statement. ‘Maybe you were scared. Maybe you didn’t realize our extraordinary pain. Maybe you thought this arrest wouldn’t matter. But here we are, nine months later, locked up, drowning in despair, and begging for someone to release us from this pain and allow us to take the next step forward on this most terrible of journeys.”

Additional rewards of up to $100,000 were announced for the remaining Top 5 suspects, while rewards of up to $50,000 were announced for 10 others across the updated Top 25 list, which brings together information on the most wanted suspects from across the country.

Combined, the 15 rewards equal an unprecedented $1 million. As with all Bolo rewards, the $1 million offered Tuesday will be placed in a trust managed by a law firm until successful tips are filed, leading to the arrest of the fugitives.

Bolo director Max Langlois was joined by Toronto Police Service Chief Myron Demkiw, Toronto Crime Stoppers chairman Sean Sportun and several police partners in unveiling the updated Top 25 list.

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During Tuesday’s press conference, Langlois announced a new initiative on the Bolo website – boloprogram.org – called the Bolo Lineup. The Bolo Lineup is an online contest designed to encourage Canadians to “be on the lookout” for fugitives. Any Canadian resident 18 years or older can participate in this initiative by identifying fugitives in a series of lineups. Participants will have a chance to win one of 100 prizes, including a $10,000 travel voucher, computers, gaming consoles, tablets and gift cards.

“The Bolo program encourages members of the public to be on their guard not only today, but also in the days, weeks and months ahead,” said Bolo Director Max Langlois. “How? By using some of the money we normally spend on these flashy media campaigns to reward people not only for submitting the right tip, but also for, quite simply, keeping their attention on the campaign .”

“We work hand-in-hand with communities in an effort to prevent these crimes. But when, despite our best efforts, tragedy strikes, we do what we can to support the victims and survivors left behind,” said Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw. “And we are working with our community partners – members of the media, members of the public and organizations like Bolo – to build and restore not just actual security, but that critical security. feeling of safety that must be felt by everyone. That is what we are doing today.”

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Through Crime Stoppers programs, the Top 25 List allows tipsters to remain anonymous not only while they share information, but also while they collect their rewards, all without ever speaking to an investigator.

“With Crime Stoppers you remain anonymous. Criminals don’t,” said Sean Sportun, president of the Toronto Crime Stoppers. “Together we can create safer communities across Canada and help those affected by these crimes take the next steps forward in their most unfortunate journeys.”

For information about each case, visit boloprogram.org.

About the Bolo program
The Bolo Program is a groundbreaking initiative that uses social media, technology and innovative engagement to encourage citizens to seek out Canada’s Most Wanted so they can help keep their communities safe. “BOLO,” which stands for “be on the lookout,” is a commonly used law enforcement term to describe individuals who are actively wanted.

Bolo reaches citizens at the right time, in the right place and by using the right resources to encourage citizens to be vigilant. Bolo amplifies the priority announcements for which Canadian police forces have already requested the public’s help. In partnership with Canadian police forces and Crime Stoppers, Bolo is launching amplification campaigns to reach a broader audience for these notices, across multiple platforms and over longer periods of time, offering large financial rewards as an incentive for citizens to be on the lookout and tip off to submit. the authorities.

Media contact: [email protected]

An image accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fcd62be4-4359-46aa-8c66-65eeecadf15b

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