More than $80,000 in rewards were paid to anonymous tipsters who solved crimes ranging from burglary to hit-and-run deaths by providing information to the DeKalb County Crime Stopper program.

The Crime Stopper program pays cash rewards to people who provide information leading to an arrest, said DeKalb County Police Capt. Jim Laben.

In the past eight years, 282 arrests were made because of information received through the program.

The program pays the awards from a cash fund established by donors and its average reward is about $150 to $200, he said.

Although Crime Stoppers can pay as much as $1,000 for information, their largest reward to date was $500. An anonymous caller who left information that led to a “large drug bust” earned that reward, Laben said.

Tipsters are assigned a number and a time to call to check on their rewards. If the police make an arrest, the tipster gets the cash.

“We’ll play any cops and robbers game they want to play to get them the money. We’ve left money next to a tree in a forest preserve before,” he said.

“The program couldn’t be any more cost-effective. It’s all done through donations and I lead the program along with my other work,” Laben said.

The program also has recovered $837,756 in drugs and confiscated property during the past eight years, Laben said.

People who want to provide information or participate in the program should call 895-3272, Laben said.