# Buying stolen property from a pawn shop **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2026, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-stolen-property-from-a-pawn-shop/1033899 "2026-10-16T20:18:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-stolen-property-from-a-pawn-shop/1033899/1 "2026-10-16T20:18:39Z")
Inspired by a cop show video I just watched. A guy buys a ring from a pawn shop and the cops later determine it was stolen. They confront the buyer and demand the ring back. Does the buyer lose all his money or does the pawn shop return his money for the improperly sold item and the shop eats the loss? ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-stolen-property-from-a-pawn-shop/1033899/2 "2026-10-16T20:22:13Z")
I vaguely remember seeing somewhere (probably Pawn Stars) that the pawn shop is on the hook to refund the buyer, otherwise they’d be guilty of selling stolen property. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-stolen-property-from-a-pawn-shop/1033899/3 "2026-10-16T21:12:47Z")
Bo knows: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jLo7tHDHgOc/maxresdefault.jpg "Trading Places (5/10) Movie CLIP - Haggling at the Pawnshop (1983) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLo7tHDHgOc)