Rogers County DA Cracking Down On Overdue Movie Rentals

Rogers County has been cracking down on the old crime of not returning rented movies. In the last five years 600 rented DVD's never returned to this video store, and now the district attorney is going after the people who rented and didn't return.

The Super Video store inside Warehouse Market is one of the last video rental stores left. They stock hundreds of old and new DVDs, but they would have many more if everyone returned them. It's such a problem they check the return box 8 times a day.

“Oh, we're talking hundreds of videos, so it's real money to the merchant," said Rogers County DA Matt Ballard.

The district attorney's office has several hundred individuals on their list. They're sending letters spelling out fines and fees that start at $200 and go up from there.

“The goal of the program is to give people the opportunity to avoid arrest and incarceration and make the merchant whole and get restitution for them and send the message to return the property,” said Ballard.

The statute of limitations is 5 years starting with the summer of "Fast and Furious 6", and "White House Down". 

Viewers said they were threatened with "a warrant for not returning a .99 cent movie" and one "actually had a warrant" but others noted "don't worry if you're not a thief"

The District Attorney says though some consider the losses laughable, over time it's added up to thousands of dollars lost. Warehouse Market declined an interview about the problem.

Some people have simply dropped the old movies in the box, but it's too late for that if the DA already has the case. They suggest people go to the courthouse to talk about a payment plan.