Crime & Safety
Local Business Caught in Countywide Sting
An employee at a Highland Park convenience store was caught in undercover operation while selling liquor to a minor.
An employee at Bob’s Pantry in Highland Park failed a random check by the Lake County Underage Drinking and Drug Prevention Task Force recently selling alcohol to a 19-year-old agent of the Highland Park Police Department.
Liliana Arizmendi, 34, of Waukegan was cited administratively by the Highland Park Police Department Oct. 4 after learning of the violation from the agent and confronting her, according to Deputy Highland Park Police Chief George Pfutzenreuter.
The task force did 220 random checks throughout Lake County as part of its operation during high school homecoming season of which 12 were in Highland Park. This was the only infraction in Highland Park among 13 throughout the county.
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“This is a practice we do at least two times a year,” Pfutzenreuter said. “We get an underage agent and coach him up on how to do it.” Most of the times local establishments refuse the sale. “We send out a letter telling them good job.”
The purpose of this twice a year effort—the other time is around prom—is to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors and test the level of required training for people who work in an environment where alcohol is sold, according to Pfutzenreuter.
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