3 SLT businesses accused of selling booze to kids
A minor was successful at buying alcohol at three out of four stores in South Lake Tahoe.
South Lake Tahoe police officers on May 2 cited the three clerks, whose names have not been released.
They were:
· BevMo, 24-year-old female.
· Safeway, 21-year-old female.
· CVS Pharmacy (Bijou), 35-year-old female.
Those who allegedly sold to the minor face a minimum fine of $250, and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation. In addition, ABC will take administrative action against the alcoholic beverage license of the business.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
While it is a good thing to ensure minors (and unfortunately some adults) can’t buy alcohol, the method the ABC uses it ridiculous! They find 20 year old snitches that look like 30+ year olds resulting in the poor clerks getting fined and often fired. I met a snitch once who did this and he easily looked 40.
Really? No slap on the hands first? I guess everyone needs something to do. Look at the ages of the clerks-yea lets get them off to a good start for (probably) one of their first jobs!
Come on guys. I know they find minors who look old as hell, but if you do not know someone personally….how hard is it to say “can I see your ID please”
Worked in a store in Alaska umpteen years ago, summer job in college. The cop shop was right across the street. I carded damn near everybody, and if you were even moderately buzzed, I sent you out. More than one DUI arrest occurred on people I had refused to sell to. My boss told me 2 years before a drunk driver had PASTED a car full of high school kids…killed all but one of em. He was in high school too. Open beer in the car.
The eyes of the cop who was first on the scene STILL carried ‘the look’ of someone who is haunted from seeing things no-one should have to see.
Anyone who works in retail where tobacco or booze are sold is giving training and plenty of warnings about selling to minors. If they were dumb enough to not card someone who didn’t clearly look to be 35 years or older then a $250 fine and loss of a job is a lesson they won’t soon forget.
BevMo surprises me. I was carded in there and I am over 50. She said it’s the store policy to card everyone. I remember going up to a glass window on the street next to the Highlands down in Stateline for a pint many times when I was 15. Never once got carded.
It’s about revenue.