Most criminals wanted for serious crimes like homicide don’t get away for long.

That was true last week of Larry Louis Hunter, who surrendered just days after being named a prime suspect in a homicide in Superior Township.

Humans are creatures of very narrow habit, and unless they are wealthy, fugitives will head toward family or friends when they are on the run.

The family members or friends who assist the fugitive in hiding from the police must realize they're committing a felony by assisting the fugitive. Those who harbor fugitives must understand the police will be very interested in their homes.

That might mean a particular home is placed under surveillance. In other cases, the person believed to be hiding the fugitive will enjoy near daily visits by the police to check in and make sure the friend or family member is still safe, and the fugitive is not about.

When pursuing fugitives, the police will also be forced to canvass the areas a fugitive is known to frequent. Rewards will be issued to break free information. The fugitive’s friends will be contacted, and it is amazing how many times friends will call the police to get the surveillance and “heat” off of a neighborhood, and perhaps to very quietly and anonymously step up to claim the reward.

The same friends will loudly proclaim they would never help the cops. That is fine with the police - it will be our little secret with the fugitive’s friends. All cops care about is getting the fugitive “in the net.”

Posting a reward will also re-generate media interest in case. That's why rewards are very seldom given in the initial stages of an investigation. The reward money is saved until the police are reaching the end of their leads.

Rewards are an extremely good investment for police departments and taxpayers. In the end, the relatively small rewards save a lot of police overtime by saving many hours, days and perhaps weeks of investigators chasing false leads searching for a fugitive.

Once the police get information a fugitive has left the state, they seek the assistance of the FBI to obtain a warrant for interstate flight to avoid prosecution. That brings the assistance of all the federal agencies to look for the fugitive.

Next, the police seek the assistance of the national media. Before I retired, I had the number of a producer at America’s Most Wanted who was always looking for stories. America’s Most Wanted generates numerous tips because of all the sets of eyes looking for the fugitive around the country. The Ann Arbor Police Department has had success in finding criminals by allowing AMW to spotlight a fugitive.

The most effective assistance in catching fugitives comes from the people who actually love the fugitive. Many times, there are worse people looking for the fugitive than the police. The police explain to the loved ones that if the fugitive gives up to police, the possibility of violence or death of the fugitive is negated. If they stay on the run, the fugitive, their enemies, their associates, the public and the police get more desperate for the fugitive’s capture. Desperate people act more rashly, and many times people get hurt.

If you know where a fugitive is, do the right thing. Contact your local police. If you wish to contact the Ann Arbor Police Department, you can do so by calling the AAPD Anonymous Tipline at (734) 794-6939 or online by writing TIP@a2gov.org.

Lock it up, don’t leave it unattended, be aware and watch out for your neighbors (especially if they are harboring a fugitive).

Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com.