South City Store Clerks Cited For Selling Alcohol To Minors

Two store clerks have been cited for selling alcohol to minors in a decoy operation, according to South San Francisco police.

Minors working with police attempted to buy alcohol from six stores Wednesday, and were successful in two cases, police said.

Police said they were not releasing the names of the stores or clerks who were cited. Those who sold to a minor face a minimum fine of $250 and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation.

In addition, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will take administrative action against each business that could include a fine, a suspension of a license or the permanent revocation of a license.

Officers also conducted a decoy "shoulder tap" operation Tuesday, in which a minor working with police stands outside a liquor or convenience store asking adult patrons to buy them alcohol. No arrests were reported connection with that operation. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum fine of $1,000 and 24 hours of community service.

Over the past five months, minor decoys have been able to purchase alcohol from 13 of the 59 licensed locations in the city, a violation rate of slightly more than 22 percent.

During the same period, decoys solicited 118 to buy them alcohol and only two people agreed to do so. The decoy operations are paid for by grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

-Bay City News