MAHONING VALLEY When bad checks hang in the balance

Store operators say they have to be vigilant to stop check fraud.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- Robert Altier wants retailers to pay closer attention to the checks customers are giving them.
"We'd sure like to have a little bit of help" from retailers who cash bad checks without sufficient identification, said Altier, the city police detective in charge of investigating such cases.
Altier called attention to some stores where cashiers don't ask customers for a Social Security number or driver's license.
He would prefer that retailers require two forms of identification and a thumbprint of the customer, along with a store camera to later identify any thieves.
"We're tired of becoming a collection agency," Altier said.
Insufficient vs. invalid
Like other Mahoning Valley police departments, Hubbard doesn't take reports on checks with insufficient funds.
For those who have accepted such checks, Altier explained, Girard Municipal Court has established a procedure for retailers to pursue the check-writers.
But if checks are written from closed accounts or stolen, the detective explained, that's a criminal act.
Austintown Police Detective Bob Schaeffer said retailers are internally handling those checks with insufficient funds.
Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown provides a packet to those left holding the checks. The information includes steps explaining how businesses can get their money back, including the filing of criminal charges.
In the cards
Schaeffer pointed out that discount cards issued by retailers have helped reduce bad-check passing. He called particular attention to Giant Eagle's Advantage Card.
Altier pointed to Devine's Stop & amp; Save on North Main Street, which has significantly reduced the number of bad checks it accepts.
"You have to first be constantly vigilant," said store owner Ed Devine, noting cashiers must be trained to know what to look for.
For example, a red flag goes up if a would-be customer wants to cash a $10 check to buy a 99-cent bottle of pop.
"They could have [a store's money] in a couple of days," he said, if employees don't stay alert and use common sense, and if the store doesn't use technology.
Devine uses Telecheck, a national database. The check is scanned at the cash register and alerts a store if a customer has a history of unpaid checks.
Another deterrent is to aggressively prosecute those passing bad checks, Devine explained.
"You can't listen to those sob stories," Devine asserted. "This is not a bank. If you need money, go to your bank."
A little leeway
David Holmes, manager of the Sparkle Market at the Union Square Plaza in Liberty, says it's a lot of work, but he keeps on top of customers who bounce checks.
Holmes said he gives those with insufficient funds five days to make the checks good.
For those who made an honest mistake, he explained, sometimes a $25 charge is waived and the customers return immediately to make the check good, Holmes explained.
For those who have bounced checks and don't return the store's telephone call to find out what happened, Holmes said it doesn't take long to realize they don't want to pay.
If the five days go past, Holmes said a police report is filed. He then goes to court to file charges.
Simple word of mouth that the Union Square Plaza store will prosecute has reduced the number of bounced checks, Holmes said.
Another way to monitor such checks, the manager pointed out, is that a manager is called to the checkout counter when a customer cashes more than three checks weekly. The number of checks cashed is maintained by Sparkle's check-cashing card.
In Girard, Police Capt. Frank Bigowsky said he has been "lucky" with banks being on the lookout for bogus checks.
"We go after these people quite vigorously," Bigowsky said, noting that banks' use of fingerprints has led to arrests of those passing bad checks.
yovich@vindy.com