by KYW's Paul Kurtz
Many Pennsylvania residents skirt the law to buy their alcohol in New Jersey and Delaware.
It's a warm, sunny Friday afternoon in late May, and weekend warriors are pouring into the parking lot at Canal's Discount Liquor on Rt. 38 in Pennsauken, NJ.
As usual, many of the vehicles have Pennsylvania license plates. Why are they here?
(Man #1:) "I'm here for the deals. It's all about the money."
(Woman #1:) "Well, you can get it all in one place, which is really nice."
(Man #2:) "It's significantly cheaper and the selection's better. And I know Pennsylvania's trying, but to buy beer you have to go one place and to get liquor you have to go another place."
They know they're breaking the law, but these Philadelphia-area residents say they're not worried about getting pulled over by a Pennsylvania state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement officer.
Sgt. William La Torre, the bureau's district commander, admits that his troopers are really looking for the big fish when conducting surveillance operations:
"When we're over there we're looking for very large purchases that are being made and transported back, typically any bars that may be stocking up out of state."
But he says that Joe and Jane Sixpack can also run into trouble if their timing is bad:
"They can kinda get caught up in the net if we happen to be out doing a program and they happen to stock up for an event or something like that."
Violators are subject to fines up to $300 plus ten dollars per container.
(Photo by KYW's Paul Kurtz. License plates obscured.)
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