URBANA — Calls to police telling them where to find people already charged with crimes made up the bulk of the 2010 calls to Champaign County Crimestoppers.

The annual report of the 25-year-old organization was released Thursday at its annual luncheon in Urbana.

Seventy cases were solved; 69 arrests were made; and more than $19,100 worth of property and cash was recovered thanks to people calling the crime-prevention organization.

The most tips were about fugitives — 37 — followed by seven each on burglaries and drug cases.

There was one tip regarding a homicide, said Champaign Deputy Police Chief Troy Daniels, who is on the board of Crimestoppers. It was better late than never.

James Ellis, 34, was shot and killed at his home in the 1900 block of Joanne Lane on Dec. 19, 2008, but it wasn't until August 2010 that police obtained arrest warrants for four men based on the Crimestoppers tip.

One has been convicted of murder and is awaiting sentencing, a second pleaded guilty to supplying the gun to the alleged killer and was sentenced to prison. and murder charges are pending against two others. One of those is Mr, Ellis' stepson, Tyrone Franklin, 19, of Urbana, who was 16 at the time of the shooting.

"The Ellis case is huge," said Daniels. "Any time a tip focuses resources, we're able to make an arrest much faster and easier. Without question, that tip helped us focus our efforts."

But Daniels said the tipster never came forward to collect a reward, as is the case about half the time.

"It's about 50 percent that will collect the reward that's been offered to them. The rewards range from $100 to $1,000. We reserve the $1,000 rewards for the most violent offenses such as homicides," he said.

The organization, which relies on fines paid by convicted criminals and donations for its funding, made 41 payouts totalling $6,050 in 2010.

Since the organization was founded in May 1986, 1,685 cases have been solved and about $1.4 million worth of worth of property and drugs have been recovered.

Anyone with information on crimes in Champaign County can call 217-373-8477, send tips to http://www.373tips.com, or text in tips by sending Tip397 plus the tip to CRIMES (274637).