By Jack Queen, Summit Daily
Ski pass fraud cases in Breckenridge typically spike in the month of March, and this year has been no different: There have been at least 23 court summonses issued to people allegedly using passes not belonging to them so far this month.
That accounts for nearly half of the 50 total ski pass fraud cases reported to the Breckenridge Police Department since the ski season began last November.
Police spokeswoman Colleen Goettelman speculated that the routinely higher March totals might be related to the high number of spring break vacationers in town.
“It could also be because we’re toward the end of the season, and people don’t care as much if they lose their passes for loaning them out,” she said.
On March 9 alone, five ski pass fraud summonses were issued in Breckenridge.
Overall, however, ski pass frauds are down significantly this season. Pass frauds over the same period from November 1, 2015, to March 14, 2016, totaled 135, roughly two-and-a-half times as many violations that have occurred this season, according to police statistics.
That reflects the wide variations in enforcement of a town ordinance that relies on resort pass scanners noticing fraudulent pass users and reporting them.
When they do, resort security contacts the suspected parties and typically calls the police, who go to the mountain and issue a ticket.
Fines for ski pass fraud range broadly, but can be as high as $2,650, according to an official at the Breckenridge Municipal Court. The severity of the fine is up to the discretion of a judge and typically centers on how cooperative — or uncooperative — the suspect was with police.
An average fine, the court official said, is around $400. By comparison, an adult pays $859 for an Epic Pass, which grants full access to mountains owned by Vail Resorts.
Displays on the scanners used by pass-checkers show a host of information for each ticket scanned, including the age of the pass-holder and a large photograph. Employees are also given a cash incentive to report fraudsters, similar to how many bouncers at bars are given bonuses for confiscating fake IDs.
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