Police hand out lotto tickets alongside speeding tickets

MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- A Florida police department said officers handing out traffic tickets Christmas Day also doled out scratch-off lottery tickets in a bid to spread holiday cheer.

Melbourne police said speeders and other traffic violators were ticketed as usual Christmas Day, but the violators were also given scratch-off lotto tickets as gifts, Florida Today, Melbourne, reported Thursday.

Police said more than 30 of the lotto tickets had been given out as of 1 p.m. Wednesday.

"We're just doing a little bit of a different technique," Sgt. Jamie Rocque said. "When we pull the motorists over, we're also giving them the scratch-off tickets that the officers bought with their own personal funds. It's something good to do in light of the holidays. We're getting a lot of surprised looks ... people don't know what to say."

Rocque said he had not heard word of any big winners among the ticketed citizens.

"I don't know, but we wish them well," Rocque said.