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Breckenridge PD: Craigslist used for selling fraudulent ski passes

ROBERT ALLEN
summit daily news

SUMMIT COUNTY – Two local men were arrested last Thursday and charged with selling fraudulent ski passes through Craigslist, according to a press release from Breckenridge Police Department.

A tip had been received that Colorado and Epic ski passes were being sold through the website of online classified advertisements.

“Police set up an undercover operation where personnel posed as a husband and wife, wanting to buy two passes for the remainder of the season,” according to the press release.



Lowell Hall, 26, and Samuel Whitehill, 21, both of Summit County, are to appear in court April 14 regarding counts of “unlawful use of skiing facilities,” according to the press release.

In the past week, the police department has cited about eight people for ski pass fraud at Breckenridge Ski Resort.

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Summit County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday cited three people for ski pass fraud. In each of these cases, the alleged offenders were using someone else’s pass to gain access to Keystone Resort, according to sheriff’s reports.

Ski passes aren’t transferable, and each of these people was issued a court summons for theft of less than $500, as a day pass at Keystone is valued at $93.

The scanning devices at Keystone and Breckenridge show the picture of the pass owner when a season pass is scanned, and incentives are offered for employees who discover cases of fraud.

Breckenridge Ski Resort spokeswoman Kristen Petitt said there is “zero tolerance” for ski pass fraud, and it is policy for law enforcement to be contacted when fraud is suspected.

Breckenridge police department “will be working closely with the ski area and increasing pass fraud” enforcement during spring break and through the end of the season, according to the Breckenridge PD press release.

The misdemeanor crime of lift ticket fraud carries possible fines of up to $1,000 and jail time.

At Arapahoe Basin Ski Area this season, ski pass fraud has not been as much of an issue.

“We haven’t really seen anything,” A-Basin communications director Leigh Hierholzer said in a voicemail.

Robert Allen can be contacted at (970) 668-4628 or rallen@summitdaily.com.


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