Hot Check Raid in Lubbock County Thursday Night
By: Monica Yantosh
Updated: November 15, 2012
The District Attorney's Office, the Sheriff's Office, and the Constables
Office were all riding around the county Thursday night, looking for
more than 80 offenders with warrants for writing bad checks.
The total, combined between restitution and fees was more than $100,000.
"You're just out trying to catch people home at night, some people work at night, some people go out and celebrate at night, so it's just kind of hit and miss," said Gary Hobbs, an Investigator with the District Attorney's office.
The money these people owe will go back to the merchants who the checks were originally written to. Some may have only needed to pay $60, but other had bad checks written up to $1,500.
"The biggest reason is to get money back to the merchants that these people wrote the checks to, that's the biggest thing we're trying to do is get the money back to the merchants," said Hobbs.
Anyone found while out on the raid were taken back the county courthouse to either pay up, or get on a payment plan to begin paying back what they owe. If they couldn't make it to the courthouse for whatever reason tonight, they did have the option to pay over the phone using a credit card. If they couldn't pay tonight, they would be arrested.
Jackson said even a small amount on a hot check can add up. "A $5 hot check can end up being more than $100."
According to the DA's Office, these raids are carried out about twice a year, but they have seen a decrease in the number of offenders in recent years.
"It's a big problem, it's becoming less and less with the debit cards and things along that nature, but still people do write hot checks," said Jackson.
Hobbs also said they have started to see the same offenders over and over again in the last few raids because of the increase in use of credit and debit cards.
The total, combined between restitution and fees was more than $100,000.
"You're just out trying to catch people home at night, some people work at night, some people go out and celebrate at night, so it's just kind of hit and miss," said Gary Hobbs, an Investigator with the District Attorney's office.
The money these people owe will go back to the merchants who the checks were originally written to. Some may have only needed to pay $60, but other had bad checks written up to $1,500.
"The biggest reason is to get money back to the merchants that these people wrote the checks to, that's the biggest thing we're trying to do is get the money back to the merchants," said Hobbs.
Anyone found while out on the raid were taken back the county courthouse to either pay up, or get on a payment plan to begin paying back what they owe. If they couldn't make it to the courthouse for whatever reason tonight, they did have the option to pay over the phone using a credit card. If they couldn't pay tonight, they would be arrested.
Jackson said even a small amount on a hot check can add up. "A $5 hot check can end up being more than $100."
According to the DA's Office, these raids are carried out about twice a year, but they have seen a decrease in the number of offenders in recent years.
"It's a big problem, it's becoming less and less with the debit cards and things along that nature, but still people do write hot checks," said Jackson.
Hobbs also said they have started to see the same offenders over and over again in the last few raids because of the increase in use of credit and debit cards.
