California Alcoholic Beverage Control agents took a different approach to combating underage drinking in Redlands last week.   Often ABC agents will target clerks, bartenders and patrons who sell or provide alcohol to minors, but their operation Tuesday, March 5, was all about checking the identifications of patrons  at the Vault bar.

ABC agents worked with Redlands police officers and bouncers at the bar and discovered four underage people presenting false identifications, three 19-year-olds and one 20-year-old.

“This goes on a lot,” said California Association of State Investigators (CASI) President and ABC Agent Kevin Highbaugh.  “We suspect we’ll see even more of it this weekend with St. Patrick’s Day and with spring break.”

“Our California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) members are all public safety or consumer protection professionals who work to keep us safe,” said CSLEA President Alan Barcelona.    “In particular, our members who are ABC agents have the task of keeping alcohol from the under 21 set, because so many underage drinkers end up in trouble, injured or in car wrecks.  We hope everyone plays it safe during the St. Patrick’s Day weekend and of course during spring break.”