Novato Booze Sting Triggers Warnings

NOVATO, CA — Two restaurants were issued warnings after they sold alcoholic beverages to 19-year-old decoys during a St. Patrick’s Day sting, Novato police said.

The Novato Police Department conducted the sting jointly with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).

Two of the four ABC-licensed restaurants targeted in the sting sold alcoholic beverages to minors, police said.

“The goal was to make this year's St. Patrick's Day as safe as possible by utilizing the Department of ABC's education and enforcement programs,” the agency said in a statement.

"Restaurant managers were educated with ABC-related laws during the investigation in addition to the criminal violation."

The Minor Decoy Operation was held amid an expected increase in alcohol-related crimes on St. Patrick's Day, police said.

"The purpose of these operations is to prevent underage minors from accessing alcohol. It's important to protect our youth,” Novato police Sgt. Melissa Hinkle said in a statement.

“There are too many alcohol-related DUI's, traffic accidents and incidents that result in injury or death. By providing education, prevention, and enforcement efforts, we hope to prevent these types of tragedies from occurring,”