On 2/9/98 12:25 PM, Tim May (tcmay@got.net) passed this wisdom:

Lucky is right that that "underage stings" are on the increase. Underage persons, often in high school, beome self-righteour warriors in the War On Demon Rum, and "narc out" their local shopkeepers.

As I write this there are advertisements up in the halls at the HS (obviously with school blessings) where I teach (a few miles east of Burlington, VT) specifically soliciting 17 year olds to work for a private company under contract to the state to 'test buy' tobacco products. I haven't heard about any takers yet nor anything backfiring.

Hey, it would serve these junior narcs right if, upon being carded and being shown to be underage, a store owner made a citizen's arrest. Perhaps putting the perp in the back freezer for a few hours would send a message.

I wonder, though, how long it would go on if some shopkeeper indeed did this? But, is it a crime to try to buy booze or tobacco underage, if you do not try to show fraudulent indentification? Brian B. Riley --> http://members.macconnect.com/~brianbr For PGP Keys <mailto:brianbr@together.net?subject=Get%20PGP%20Key> "He's not dead -- He's electroencephalographically challenged."