Canners in Freehold, N.J., racked up some big bucks during a December canning weekend.

So did the Freehold Borough Police Department.

Eight members of Atlas, a special housing floor in Atherton Hall, traveled to Freehold to raise money for the Interfraternity/Panhellenic Council Dance Marathon and raised about $2,500, Matthew Sterling (junior-premedicine) said.

This isn't the first time students canning for Thon have faced legal repercussions, and this is the second time tickets have been given in Freehold. In 2002, Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority received a citation.

Lena Matternas, Thon rules and regulations overall chairwoman, said incidents such as this have declined from last year. The number of groups cited this year is less than 10, she added.

While canning, four members of Atlas were stationed at an intersection when a police officer approached and ticketed them for soliciting funds without a permit, said Naveen Arora (junior-chemical engineering).

Two of the members of Atlas went to court and have paid "$100 plus" each in court fee fines, Arora said. The other two filled out affidavits and as of press time are still waiting to hear from the judge.

Atlas has seen its fair share of police involvement during canning trips. They received warnings in Pittsburgh and a citation of about $180 in Warrington, Arora said.

Lt. Robert Brightman, spokesman for the Freehold police department, said patrol officers received complaints to which they responded.

"It placed students at risk and the community at risk," he said. "It can be alarming for motorists, being approached and [students] banging on the window," he added.

Matternas said the police that cited Atlas were doing their job.

Matternas said Thon provides three fundraising safety captains who help organizations secure permits. Canning groups aren't required to contact the fundraising safety captains, though they are obliged to notify Thon personnel of their locations.

"A lot of groups acknowledge that they had to get a permit," Matternas said. "[Atlas] didn't ask for help."

Freehold isn't the only town that requires canners to obtain permits and strictly adhere to its policies. For canning groups wondering about other locations' rules regarding soliciting funds, Thon provides a list of recommended locations and counties that are "trouble areas," Sterling said.

The Thon Rulebook states that "organizations are strongly encouraged to obtain any permits for fundraising in communities that require them."

Arora said he plans to be more proactive and involved in making sure that incidents like this don't occur again.

"I think we'll definitely pay more attention to the laws of places we can," he said.