Anonymous Tip in Prince George's County Leads to Arrest of East Coast Rapist

For 14 years, police hunted for a man they dubbed the East Coast Rapist.

The man attacked women in Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Maryland, including some in Prince George’s County.

It was an anonymous tip to the Prince George’s County Crime Solvers that led to an arrest earlier this year.

Crime Solvers coordinator Zel Windsor said that the tip led officers to Aaron Thomas, who they believed to be in Connecticut. Calls were made, and officers in New Haven arrested the truck driver in March.

Thomas’ DNA linked him to 12 rapes and other attacks on women, The Washington Post reported. Thomas now sits in a Virginia jail, awaiting trail.

“It has been a great program,” said Lisa Holt of Crime Solvers. “It works.”

Holt and Windsor were speaking at a recent meeting at Jason’s Deli in College Park, where police officers and residents of Prince George’s County Police Department District 1 meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays to discuss public safety.

Holt said that although her friends believe she is a regular gumshoe, that’s not the case at all. She works to bring awareness to the non-profit organization, making sure county residents are familiar with the tip line.

People who believe they have important information on crimes can call the Crime Solvers tip line, text or submit a tip online. Those who contribute tips that lead to the arrest and indictment of a suspect are eligible for a cash reward, but Windsor said about half the people who contact Crime Solvers aren’t interested in the money.

They just want to take down a bad guy, while remaining anonymous.

Crime Solvers identifies tipsters by numbers, never asking for their names. Even the phone numbers from which tipsters text are encrypted.

“They want to give the law enforcement the information, but they don’t want to communicate with the police,” Windsor said.

Crime Solvers receives more than 1,400 calls and 200 web tips a year, Windsor said, adding that most tips are not texted.

Last year, Crime Solvers gave out $50,000 in reward money. The amounts that tipsters receive are determined by a board of directors, which uses a scale that incudes factors like the number of victims the suspect affected, and the solvability of the crime.

It’s the same scale used by Crime Stoppers USA, Crime Solvers’ parent organization, Windsor said.

Although Crime Solvers has existed in Prince George’s County since 1979, it wasn’t until four years ago that a full-time coordinator — Windsor — was assigned to the program.

To call with information that you believe might be important to tracking down a criminal, call or text Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), or submit information online.

Email EALobin@co.pg.md.us with questions regarding the Prince George’s County Police Department .