Last modified: Tuesday, December 9, 2008 2:16 AM EST Three Attleboro restaurants feel the sting BY GEORGE W. RHODES SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - Three city restaurants were caught serving alcohol to minors in a police sting last month, including the family-oriented and kid-friendly Chuck E. Cheese's on Route 1. Eli's Pizza and Wetherlaine's, both on County Street, were also cited. All three were given verbal warnings from the city's alcohol licensing board. It was the first offense for each of the eateries. All told, 27 restaurants were targeted in the sting. But with three failing the test, it's obvious selling to persons under the legal age of 21 remains a dangerous problem, said board administrator Vicki Nason. Underage alcohol use exploded tragically into the news this fall with the death of Taylor Meyer of Plainville, a 17-year-old King Philip Regional High School senior who drowned after wandering away from a late-night alcohol party at the closed Norfolk Airport in October. Police broke up other parties of underage drinkers last month in Wrentham and Plainville, arresting many of the participants. A person who identified himself as a manager at Chuck E. Cheese's, which is part of a national chain and is a popular place for children's birthday parties, said he was not authorized to comment on the incident at his store and referred a reporter to a manager who was not present Monday night. Nason said a Chuck E. Cheese's official who appeared at the board meeting at which the warnings were issued promised the incident "won't happen again." Attleboro police conducted the sting Nov. 8. An under-aged person was sent into a 27 restaurants citywide to order an alcoholic beverage, Nason said. Twenty-four of the restaurants requested identification to verify age, but Chuck E. Cheese's, Eli's and Wetherlaine's did not and the person was allowed to buy alcohol, according to police. If any of the restaurants get caught again their licenses to serve alcohol could be suspended, Nason said. The city's board has suspended a number of licenses as the result of sting operations over the last few years. Most recently, City Spirits Liquors had its license suspended three times over the last year for a variety of violations, including selling to minors. Zip's Liquors and Attleboro Convenience Store have also had their licenses suspended. A number of other stores or restaurants have been given verbal warnings for first time offenses. Stings are sure to continue. Police chief Richard Pierce told the city council last week his department has received a $10,000 state grant to aid in the battle against underage drinking, which will include stings.