Two liquor stores sell alcohol to minors in decoy operation

PASADENA – A minor was appointed by the Pasadena Police Department last week to visit liquor stores and attempt to purchase alcohol in a routine decoy operation.

Two of nine liquor stores made the sale, including Vive, located at 61 N. Raymond Avenue; and Bar Celona, located at 46 E. Colorado Boulevard. The establishments face fines and/or community service. In addition, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) will take administrative action against the businesses’ liquor licenses. That may include a fine, a suspension of the liquor license, or permanent revocation of the license, sources at the Pasadena Police Department said.

ABC is conducting state-wide compliance checks like this to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. Statistics have shown that young people under age 21 have a higher rate of drunken driving fatalities than the general adult population, sources at the Pasadena Police Department said.

The minor, who was unidentified by the police to the media, was required to be under 20, to have the appearance of being a minor, and had to tell her real age if she was asked.

Minor Decoy operations have been conducted by local law enforcement throughout the state since the 1980s. When the program first began, the violation rate of retail establishments selling to minors was as high as 40 to 50 percent. When conducted on a routine basis, the rate has dropped in some cities to 10 percent or less, the Pasadena Police Department said.

–Emily Sanderson, Crime News Reporter, United Reporting
sanderse2000@yahoo.com