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Show . , V 4 t . -V" ! . . I . . " BAD CHECKS PLAQUE local merchants. The Vernal Chamber of Commerce with the Vernal Bad check; robbery seminar Local merchants and the Vernal City Police Department are organizing two seminars to combat two crimes which are increasing in the Vernal area bad checks and robbery. During 1981 the Vernal City Police Department handled over three times the amount of cases involving fraud than the year before and most of those were bad check cases. The fraud cases involved $16,388 during 1981. Also in 1982 forgery cases surpassed $980 with $9,813 involved. "In 1980 we handled 14 fraud cases and in 1981 we had 53 which is a significant signifi-cant increase," Robert T. Downard, Vernal City Police Chief, said. "We know there are probably 10 times that many bad checks passed, but we only accept the bad case for prosecution," pro-secution," Downard said. Another crime which increased during dur-ing 1981 was forgery. The Vernal Chamber of Commerce City Police Department are planning a seminar to prevent bad checks. ABC Committee met last Wednesday with Chief Downard and set up two committees to plan seminars for businesses to curtail bad checks and robbery. According to John Schwisow, ABC Committee chairman, the problem many merchants are having with bad checks are that people come in with local checks and identification and are gone in a week or two. The committees are urging Utah, as in other states, to require the date a checking account is opened to be written writ-ten on all checks, Schwisow said. One of the problems with prosecuting a person guilty of writing a bad check is showing the intent of the person, Downard said. "Less than 5 percent of the cases reported to the police department are investigated because of this problem, Downard said. To show the intent of the person writing the bad check, investigitjj, must establish a pattern, see who & account was opened and when the lg deposit was made. Many of the chronic bad cbed writers have left a trail which is eas g follow, Downard said. Several suggestions to prevent ta checks are to require a pictured idet dification with corresponding bii card. "Many feel they will hurt ftei customer's feelings by requiring identifications, but it makes it easier I trace a bad check," Downard said. Because of the continual movt i "plastic money," bad checks m becoming more of a problem locaj and nation wide. t "Because of this problem, 's pushing to educate local people Downard said. The police department and ABCCa mittee are working together to set date for the two seminars. |