Easy Access to Alcohol through Fake IDs & Shoplifting
Unfortunately, our students are easily buying alcohol using fake IDs and are shoplifting alcohol from stores and pharmacies. Fake IDs are of high quality these days and alcohol is often easily accessible. The best way for stores to prevent shoplifting is to lock up hard liquor in cases yet typically only the most expensive liquor is locked. The next best deterrent is to apply plastic "caps" to liquor which sound an alarm and prevent it from being opened (although there are ways to get around this). A way to prevent successful use of fake IDs (which are often out-of-state licenses in different names) is for stores to ask for a second form of id (such as an ATM or credit card). Some of the more popular spots to shoplift liquor in Marin include the CVS Pharmacies (especially in the Bon Air in Greenbrae and Redhill in San Anselmo shopping centers), and Safeway and Lucky grocery stores. Be the Influence, together with local coalitions (the Twin Cities Coalition for Healthy Youth and the Ross Valley Healthy Community Collaborative) is working with the managers of these and other stores and advocating for stronger security and deterrents. If you are in a store which has uncapped or unlocked hard liquor, talk to the manager to make your voice heard or contact administrator@betheinfluence.us with the name of the store and we will do so. Please discuss with your child that shoplifting and using fake IDs are crimes with serious legal consequences.