Anti-Crime Leader a Thief?

Donations made to Crimestoppers of Trenton was meant to help track down criminals, but the man in charge helped himself to more than $16,000, according to authorities.

Crimestoppers of Trenton was organized over the last year. Until last week, Larry Sheffield was the new organization's chairman. Now, he is fired, with a warrant out for his arrest.

Crimestoppers is a civilian-run board.

"It was brought to our attention that they believe there were some funds missing from their account," said Lt. Joe Juniak of the Trenton Police Department.

Authorities said that Sheffield wrote himself checks made out to cash from the Crimestopper bank account. The money was mostly donated.

The secretary of the board said that they trusted Sheffield and that they are hoping to get some of the money back.

"We raised money for paying rewards for the anonymous tips that would lead to solving the crimes -- which is the primary function of the organization. But some money also goes for promotional things," said Jim Carlucci of Crimestoppers of Trenton.

Crimestoppers of Trenton paid out its first reward last June for an arson suspect after a house was set on fire and a man died.

Money has been missing from the account since January 2002, when the organization was first organized.

Despite the loss, the organization is still operating and is still taking tips.

Sheffield told them he would turn himself in, but then he didn't show up and may have backed out. The organization won't be posting a reward, but they said that they would certainly take a tip on where to find Sheffield.

Sheffield, a former college basketball star at Notre Dame in the 1960s, has also been removed as chairman of the Metropolitan Trenton African American Chamber of Commerce, which donated $6,000 to the Crime Stoppers group when it was formed this summer.

Acting Chairman John Harmon said that no money is missing from the chamber's accounts. The group expects to name a replacement for Sheffield sometime next month.

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Author: Copyright 2002 by NBC 10. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.