As Homecoming weekend approaches a Muncie liquor store isprepared to confiscate any fake ids that may be used to purchasealcohol.
Muncie Liquors at 801 Wheeling Ave. has incorporated a newtechnology, IDLogix Early Warning System a product of Concord RiskManagement to help identify fake ids.
Patrick Tamm vice president of governmental affairs at Livengood& Associates and Chris Johnson, general manager of MuncieLiquors held a press conference Monday to introduce this device tothe public.
IDLogix is a hand-held terminal that reads the bar code on theback of id cards, military ids and licenses. A voice responsenotifies clerks whether the card owner is 21 or older, or under21.
The terminal also spots cards that are expired or unknown andcan read out of state licenses.
"It's a great tool to be able to back up and have another thingthat clerks can use to detect fake ids," Tamm said.
When a card is swiped the name, age, birthday, and address onthe face of the card appear on the screen. Social security numbersand other personal information is not reported.
Muncie Liquors has been using the system for three and a halfweeks and has tested over 1200 ids. Two of those ids were reportedto be fake, Johnson said.
When caught they are asked to leave the store, Johnson said. "Weask them if they would like us to call the city police or the BallState police department and usually they will just abandon the fakeid and leave immediately."
This new device is necessary to stay ahead of the technologyused to make fake ids.
"As kids get a little bit more creative, especially college agekids with the advance of computers and technology, detecting fakeids is becoming more and more difficult," Tamm said. "The hardthing to do is get the three dimensional bar code or magnetic stripto also read what's on the face of that card. That's a little bitmore of a technology step they have to figure out how to getaround."
The staff at Muncie Liquors is trained by an employee who hascollected numerous fake ids since they started cracking down fiveyears ago.
"This liquor store alone in the city of Muncie averages 75 fakeids a year that my guys have picked out themselves without the useof the machine," Johnson said. "With the use of the machine it'sprobably going to help us pick out a few more," Johnson said.
The IDLogix device has been used at liquor stores near PurdueUniversity and Indiana University during their Homecomingweekends.
Muncie Liquors on Wheeling Avenue was chosen as the promotionalstore due to the large amount of money the store brings in.
During homecoming weekend Johnson said he expects sales todouble.
Saturday will be the last day Muncie Liquors will use the deviceas part of the trial.
"We will take a serious look at buying it," Johnson said.
Each device cost $2,000. If Muncie Liquors decides to buy thedevices for each of their six stores they would be making a $12,000investment.
The Village Bottle Shop liquor store near Purdue University'scampus has purchased the device for four of their stores, KellyEverling with Hirons & Company said. Big Red Liquors nearIndiana University's campus have yet to purchase any.
"Don't go into any Muncie Liquor store because your liable toloose your fake id," Johnson said.
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