Rogers County DA cracks down on overdue video rentals

CLAREMORE, Okla. (AP) – A district attorney for a county near Tulsa has been cracking down on the old crime of not returning rental DVDs by offering a payment plan to avoid filing charges.
Rogers County District Attorney Matt Ballard’s office is sending letters to several hundred residents with overdue DVD rentals. The letters spell out fines and fees that start at $200.
The letters are part of a diversion program that allows Ballard’s office to recoup funds for businesses while avoiding filing charges. Super Video in Claremore is the only vendor being represented by the program.
The district attorney’s office estimates the number of missing movies to be about 600. Spokeswoman Michelle Lowry says the total amount owed by county residents could top $140,000 if the missing DVDs estimate is correct.