News 12 at 6 o'clock, February 26, 2010

COLUMBIA CTY., Ga.---Columbia County is cracking down and punishing stores that sell alcohol to minors. It's an undercover operation that's landed some stores in hot water.

Investigators sent an underage agent into businesses to see if they could buy alcohol.

Over the last few months five stores have been caught selling alcohol to minors and this week, a store in Appling was busted for selling a 6 pack of beer to an undercover minor.

"ID on you, sir," asks store clerk Pamela Dukes.

Dukes is not only a clerk at a Martinez gas station, she's also the mother of a teenager and stands by her store's policy to ID everyone.

"We have to card every single person for your ID as far as tobacco products and alcohol products, it's one rule that we have to do," says Dukes.

Earlier this week, her store passed the undercover, underage test that hit nine gas stations and grocery stores.

"We stick by it, constantly, everybody. They get a little upset, but you know but in the end a lot of them respect it and they know that it's our job. That's what we have to do," says Dukes.

But the Circle K at Appling Harlem Highway and Columbia Road was caught when a worker allegedly sold a 6-pack of Bud Light without checking ID.

"The last thing we want to do is make it where they can just walk in any store and purchase it. It's important that our stores obey the law," says Columbia County Sheriff's Captain Steve Morris.

That Circle K wasn't the only one. These other four stores around the county have been cited in the last few months:
-Circle K- Appling-Harlem Hwy. & Columbia Rd.
-Jet Foods- Hwy.78, Harlem
-Chevron- Hwy.78, Harlem
-Pumpkin Center Store- Harlem
-BP- Washington Rd. & Evans Town Center Blvd.

Investigators say about 10 percent of the stores they've checked have broken the law.

"Many years ago, we were not at 90 percent, so it's much better today than say 4-5 years ago, but we're getting there and we're striving for perfection and 100 percent is what we're after," says Capt. Morris.

"Got your id on you?" Dukes asks a customer.

And with the citation comes court dates and a hefty fine, up to $1,000 for both the clerk and the store owner.

"Very expensive, as it should be and we want to do everything we can not to make it any easier than it already is for minors to obtain alcohol," says Capt. Morris.

"We don't want any part of that," adds Dukes.

If a store is a repeat offender and caught selling to minors three times in three years, they could have their license revoked.

News 12 received this statement from Circle K:

"Circle K provides comprehensive training to all employees related to restricted sales and has a very aggressive policy in place to prevent such violations."

They also said the 13-year employee was immediately terminated from the Appling store.

Pamela and investigators both say another problem is adults buying alcohol for minors. They say it's happening, but that whenever they see it, they stop it and the adult could be charged with furnishing to a minor.