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Crime Stoppers wants to remind you that you should never give personal information to persons who contact you by telephone or on the internet no matter how believable they seem to be. Local police officers take reports every week from victims who have been swindled by persons posing as bank officers, officials from the IRS, persons who offer to help correct computer problems, or one of the many other scams in the world today. If you give them even a small amount of information, these criminals can get direct access to your identity - and your money. Most of the criminals are from locations outside of the United States, yet the victims are right here in our community.

Victim:Landis Bates
Location of Incident: 1510 Melrose
Date of Incident: August 18, 2012

On August 18, 2012 at 1:52 am the Springfield Police Department received a call reporting that a shooting had just occurred at the Sandtrap Tavern located at 1510 E Melrose. Officers arrived to find the victim Landis M. Bates, a male black DOB 08/25/89 lying at the northeast corner of Melrose and Foxbridge Road. Landis was transported to Memorial Medical Center where he died from a gunshot wound.

Crime Stoppers is looking for help in solving an Armed Robbery to the Circle K service station at 2641 W Monroe in Springfield shortly after midnight on June 6th. The clerk at the station was approached by a black male brandishing a knife who pushed him to the ground and demanded the contents of the cash drawer. The suspect was wearing a black heavy coat and winter hat, grey sweat pants, and a light scarf.

At least 15 mailboxes were vandalized at homes west of Veterans Parkway the past three days, police said.

Among the areas hit were houses near Old Jacksonville Road, Bunker Hill Road and Farmingdale Road, according to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.

A robber threatened a gas station clerk with a knife and demanded money at 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

Police said the clerk was making coffee when a man carrying a knife with a scarf partially covering his face entered the store, located at 2641 W. Monroe St.

The robber ran toward the clerk with a knife, which had a 6-inch blade, and pushed him to the ground and demanded money from the register.