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Mayor Cites Ave. L Merchant For Thwarting Illegal Sales To Minors
By Neil S. Friedman Teenagers trying to buy box cutters, spray paint or laser pointers know there’s one neighborhood store where a vigilant businessman continually thwarts their efforts. That caution earned Avenue L merchant Sal Beneduce the honor of hosting a press conference at which New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Gretchen Dykstra singled him out for his compliance with city laws. Beneduce, who has owned and operated Big John’s Department Store at 9305 Avenue L for the last eight years, was commended at a press conference on his premises at which Bloomberg and Dykstra released the results of recent undercover investigations intended to crack down on the illegal sale of a variety of box-cutters, laser pointers and aerosol spray paint— the major choice of graffiti vandals—to minors. The mayor and commissioner lauded Beneduce and other merchants for obeying city regulations that require merchants to carefully check credentials for anyone purchasing the suspect items, in addition to cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Dykstra noted that compliance with the law "is high because businesses are getting the message." The DCA results showed that over the last eight months 79 percent of stores inspected did not sell box cutters to minors; 85 percent did not sell spray paint and 96 percent refused to sell laser pointers to anyone under 18. Beneduce said he always asks for photo IDs from anyone who appears to be under 18 when they are purchasing box-cutters, spray paint or cigarettes. "Whenever I suspect someone gives me a phony ID, I put it into the computer to see if it’s good or bad." He noted, "One guy I recently checked out turned out to be 40, but he didn’t mind." Beneduce said he keeps box cutters, blades and knives behind the counter so they can’t be shoplifted and his supply of spray paint is under lock and key. In addition to Beneduce, joining the mayor for the announcement were City Councilman Lew Fidler, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, 69th Precinct Commander Deputy Inspector Robert Johnsen and Avenue L Merchant Association officers Mercedes Narcisse and Marty Niedelman. At the press conference, Bloomberg said, "In the ongoing safety watch at the city’s 12 "impact schools", we have been monitoring businesses in the vicinity of those schools to make sure they are not illegally selling certain items to minors." During citywide DCA stings last month, Big John’s Department Store, a fixture on Avenue L for years before Beneduce bought the property and store, was found to be one store where undercover teenagers could not purchase weapons of personal destruction. Big John’s is located just a few blocks from Canarsie High School where, according to Johnsen, a dozen box cutters have been confiscated during the current school year. Using undercover teenagers, the DCA conducted inspections at more than 100 stores, including 11 in the Canarsie area, in the vicinity of the city’s 12 "impact" schools, one of which is Canarsie High School on Rockaway Parkway. According to a DCA spokesperson, four area stores were cited for selling illegally designated items to minors since last summer. They were: Arjun Variety Store, 1392 Rockaway Parkway (box cutter); Boham Line Liquidators, 166 East 92 Street (laser pointer), Holyland Tobacco Inc., 9423 Avenue L (box cutter) and Sears department store in Kings Plaza (spray paint). The maximum fine for illegally selling box cutters and spray paint is $500 per sale and $300 for the sale of laser pointers. To report a store selling illegal items to minors, call 311 or visit the Department of Consumer Affairs web site through www.nyc.gov.
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