State troopers asked to prevent bottle redemption fraud

Connecticut State Police (CSP) recently received word that they will have access to new overtime opportunities to target a new class of criminal — out-of-state bottle redeemers, who allegedly have been bringing in truckloads of recyclable bottles and cans from neighboring states with five-cent deposits into Connecticut, which recently raised its deposit to ten-cents.

“Individuals are crossing into Connecticut utilizing large box trucks, oversized trucks, and tractor trailers, utilizing groups of individuals to deposit cans and bottles,” said Captain Nicholas Tewell, Commanding Officer of the CSP Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) in a letter recently emailed to state troopers. “This fraud is creating a significant financial burden on numerous involved entities.”

Per the email, CSP was “assigned” the task of redemption fraud enforcement, and will be working in tandem with lawmakers, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to do so. For the next six months, troopers will have the opportunity to pick up overtime shifts at bottle redemption centers, with the primary purposes for their deployment being stated as “omnipresence, education, and deterrence.”

This year’s budget allocates $2 million from the General Fund for the purpose of funding this new enforcement initiative, as well as funding the new Bottle Bill Escheats Enforcement and Assistance Grant, which allows redemption centers to apply for reimbursement payments if they can show “two consecutive quarters of financial losses resulting from overredemption” in fiscal year 2025, per the Office of Policy and Management. Inside Investigator contacted DEEP regarding the grant, but did not receive any response.

While beverage distributors have made the claim that Seinfeld-esque schemers — out-of-state can collectors carpooling to Connecticut – have conducted “massive amounts of cross border redemption,” there’s been scant evidence to back it up. Regardless, lawmakers passed a bill in 2024 making redemption fraud illegal and requiring redemption centers to post signage to inform redeemers of its illegality. This law’s passage enabled the ticketing of deposit-fraudsters, with fines ranging anywhere from $50 to $100 for their first ticket, and anywhere from $200 to $500 if ticketed three or more times. Additionally, last year’s bonding billlimited redeemers to 5,000 returns a day at redemption centers, while those at supermarkets and liquor stores are limited to 240. Redemption centers have also been tasked with recording the names, plate numbers, and driver’s license information of anyone who redeems 2,500 items a day

Troopers are being directed to watch for redeemers with out-of-state plates, oversized or box trucks, excessive amounts of cans and bottles, working in large groups, and are being told to identify out-of-state redeemers. Enforcement is being left “at the discretion of the on-scene Trooper,” but “should include” turning away redeemers or vehicles carrying over 5,000 cans and issuing tickets to violators. Troopers will notify local police of their presence when entering or leaving redemption centers, and are told to “handle issues on scene” but leave “criminal matters” to “the appropriate agency.” Any civil or procedural violations made by redemption centers will be handled by DEEP.