Crime & Safety

One Liquor Store Clerk Cited in Alcohol Compliance Checks

Operation by Novato police and Alcohol Beverage Control included young decoys trying to buy their own alcohol.

One liquor store clerk was cited and released Monday night by during an enforcement operation in which underage decoys tried to purchase alcohol or asked customers to purchase alcohol for them, police said.

The clerk, 72, was observed in violation at at 1102 Grant Ave.

Officers visited nine other off-sale businesses with alcohol licenses and found 100 percent compliance as the decoys were refused alcohol purchases. Those passing the test were the 7-Eleven on Diablo Avenue, the 7-Eleven on South Redwood Boulevard, U-Save Liquors, Quesada Market, Old Town Liquors, Casa del Palmar, CVS on Grant Avenue, CVS on Novato Boulevard and Savemor Liquors.

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Police set up underage decoys and had them ask 32 people to buy alcoholic beverages for them over the course of five hours. There were no arrests in the "shoulder tap" operation.

The decoys are volunteers under the age of 21 but appear under 18, according to police.

Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The sales-to-minors and shoulder tap operations were orchestrated by Novato police and the regional Alcohol Beverage Control office in an effort to reduce alcohol to underage people and make sure ABC-licensed merchants follow the law.


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