Knoxville authorities are asking for the public's help finding 23-year-old Luke Paul DeBaere, who has landed on this week's Wanted Wednesday list on two felony counts. The bulletin alleges DeBaere is wanted on a computer offense and a felony theft charge, and it lists a last-known address on Connecticut Avenue in Knoxville. According to the notice, he was born Dec. 11, 2002, and is described as about 5 feet 11 inches tall and approximately 140 pounds.
The listing went out Wednesday across East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers' social channels with photos and case details, according to Facebook. Crime Stoppers notes that tips can be submitted online, through the P3Tips mobile app, by texting ETTIPS to 738477, or by calling the tipline, and its site says cash rewards of up to $2,000 are available for information that leads to an arrest. Full tip forms and contact details are posted on the East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers website.
How to submit tips
The Knoxville Police Department is directing anyone with information to Crime Stoppers' anonymous reporting channels and is warning the public not to approach anyone featured in a wanted bulletin. The Knoxville Police Department says tips sent through the hotline, app, or online form are forwarded to investigators for follow-up. Officers emphasize that using the Crime Stoppers system keeps tipsters anonymous while still giving detectives enough detail to check out potential leads.
Legal note
The bulletin also spells out an important reminder: anyone named is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Facebook post states that Crime Stoppers pays rewards only when a tip directly results in an arrest, and the program itself decides reward amounts. The charges listed in the bulletin are allegations, and any arrest or formal filing would move through the court system.
Local context
Weekly Wanted Wednesday roundups have become a go-to tool for Knoxville-area investigators, who use them to spotlight outstanding warrants and drum up leads. Earlier this month, a June Wanted Wednesday roundup highlighted multiple suspects tied to a computer-theft investigation. Local coverage has also shown that anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers can pay off, with WVLT documenting a 2021 case where a tip led to a theft arrest. That track record is part of why police keep pushing these midweek notices and urging residents to share what they know through Crime Stoppers.
Anyone who has information about DeBaere's whereabouts can submit an anonymous tip through the Crime Stoppers online form, the P3Tips app, or the tipline listed on the program's website. Knoxville police say investigators will follow up on credible leads. The East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers site hosts weekly wanted bulletins and explains how reward eligibility works for tipsters.
