Rash of fake IDs sparks crackdown - New Zealand

[WtD_Oracle]

http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/local/n ... n/3914276/

A spate of bogus IDs confiscated by bar staff has forced police and pub owners to take a tougher stance on minors fraudulently entering licensed premises.

Two 17-year-old high school students were to appear in Hastings District Court today after allegedly using fake IDs in Havelock North bars on Saturday night. One was charged with making false representation, the other with forgery. Both charges carry a maximum 10 years' imprisonment.

Senior Sergeant Greg Brown said a joint push between police and bar owners had been sparked by the "sheer prevalence" of minors presenting false details.

"The problem is younger people don't know their limits," Mr Brown said. "This, then, also leads to problems outside the bar."

Many were also ignorant of the consequences of a conviction.

"These are serious offences and can lead to great difficulty in a young person gaining employment or travelling. They just don't seem to think about that before they act."

He said trained door staff at some bars made a "huge difference" in reducing the volume.

"Sometimes it comes down to human error, where staff may let someone underage in, but generally they're doing a good job. But if there was a high volume of minors in a bar then we'd be focusing more on the bar."