Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Compliance checks of liquor and tobacco retailers in Forest Lake have gone from bad to better over the years, but never to perfect.

Not until last Friday.

In a routine Forest Lake Police Department compliance check of tobacco retailers in Forest Lake last Friday, a perfect score was recorded. There were no slip ups and no tickets issued.

Chief of Police Clark Quiring said city officers, using a 17-year-old underage buyer, entered 27 tobacco retailers and attempted to purchase tobacco products.

In each of the 27 cases, the underage buyer was asked to produce identification and was denied purchase because of their age, the chief said.

Quiring said this week he was pleased with the results and the fact city tobacco retailers are doing a good job of monitoring sales and instructing clerks and cashiers to be vigilant in making sure minors are not allowed to purchase tobacco products.

Other crimes

Police here are investigating an apparent prescription drug forgery reported by the pharmacy department at Target, 356 SW 12th St. on Nov. 10.

Quiring said a prescription provided by the St. Croix Clinic, St. Croix Falls, WI, was filled and store personnel later became concerned and notified police. The chief said the clinic confirmed that the prescription order had been forged.

No arrests have been made. Quiring said this is the fourth such forgery reported by city drug stores during the past month.

Police are also investigating a burglary at Forest Lake Car Wash, 292 SW 12th St. Quiring said car wash employees found the forced-entry burglary to the office when they arrived at 8 a.m. on Nov. 10.

Quiring said some $1500 in coins and cash was stolen from the coin changing machine in the main entry and a safe in the office.

Police are also investigating two reports of counterfeit bills being passed in the city.

A bogus $50 bill was passed at Walgreens, 1207 W. Broadway Ave. and a bad $20 bill was passed at MarketPlace Foods, 935 S. Lake St.

In the latter case, Quiring said a 13-year-old boy from Forest Lake is believed responsible.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605