Redford Credit Card Causes Controversy

Thursday, January 2nd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OREM, Utah (AP)_ He could have had a nice meal and free ski-lift passes. But a man who tried to get autographed memorabilia for finding Robert Redford's lost credit card got a visit from the cops instead.

Police in Orem, a city close to Redford's home and his Sundance resort, say the man found the card Saturday near a convenience store and called the resort to report the find.

But after being offered free ski-lift passes and dinner for two if he would bring the card to the resort, the man reportedly insisted on some signed Redford memorabilia.

When a resort representative responded that Redford ``does not do that kind of thing,'' the man said Redford wouldn't get his card back and hung up, Orem Police Lt. Doug Edwards said.

Police then called the man, who refused to give his address and told an officer that he threw Redford's card in a trash bin. Police traced the call and went to the man's apartment, where they recovered the card.

The man did not get the free ski passes, a free dinner or an autograph. But he also didn't get charged with a crime, Edwards said.

``The finder was not charged, on account of his sudden change of heart to gladly give the card to the officers when they arrived at his home,'' according to a report about the incident on the city's Web site.