Does anyone know which states ( or how many states?) hold the pawn broker responsible if he purchases stolen merchandise? Is there either a state-by-state or national web site where police can PROMPTLY post stolen items & pawn brokers can check if an item is stolen before buying & if not, why not? I have been robbed twice in the past two years. The 1st time it was done by someone living in my house & he stole things like my sterling silver flatware valued at $6000.00 plus about $4000.00 worth of jewelry & coins. He took stuff I wouldn’t easily miss & he did enough to get a “fix” everyday. I didn’t know he was a drug addict. By the time I discovered the theft, the things were long gone. I talked to the man he sold the silver to & he claimed he didn’t think it was suspicious that this young guy came in with 1 place setting of sterling silver flatware every day. I got nothing back but 2 guns which went to a pawn shop. I had to buy them back!!! On Easter Sunday I was robbed again—this time they took the safe!!! There was over $30,000.00 of special jewelry, cash, gold coins etc, etc for a grand total of about $37,000.00. I live in Fl., the pawn broker bears NO responsibility, has to only hold the stuff for 15 days and since we were lucky enough (this time) to find the jewelry in a pawn shop, I was able to get it back by paying $3,050.00. The retrieval of the jewelry was done with NO help from the police ( didn’t even have a copy of police report when I got it back on day 14). I also watch pawn stars & have seen Rick refuse to buy something because he either knew or suspected that the item was stolen. In Nevada the pawn broker has to give it back. I am trying to collect data on what most states do. If you know what the laws are in your stat please let me know—Thanks
In Iowa, pawn shops work VERY closely with the police, and there should be an absolute zero tolerance for these stores dealing in merchandise that is known, or even suspected, of being stolen.
Pawn shops should be held to the same standard that metal scrappers are in Ohio: you MUST present a valid driver’s license, which they make a copy of, in order to exchange scrap for cash. My business busted a guy stealing stainless steel vacuum caps from us at a car wash in this way. His take for ten of them, $30. Our replacement cost: $250 per cap. Hence, said douchebag was charged with a felony.
It was pretty gratifying to involve the police and have them force the scrap shop owner squirm his way through his excuses as to why he accepted what was obviously stolen stuff via our video, their video, and the everloving copy of this scumbag’s driver’s license…which led the cops right to his door.
It was an epidemic here in the Midwest for awhile, especially with catalytic converters on cars parked outside of auto repair shops. It’s slowly screeching to a halt, thankfully.
Ohio law is the same as Florida.
Have these states passed laws which affirmatively protect pawn brokers? I was always taught that a thief could not pass valid title (subject to some UCC exceptions).
Here in Illinois, every transaction that a legal pawn shop performs (whether it be a pawn loan or a buy), we need to have a copy of a valid State ID / Driver’s License, we take a digital picture of the person in front of us, and they sign a pawn ticket that states that the item is theirs to pawn / sell. Each transaction is reported to the town that the pawnshop is located in by law every day. Some shops even send to multiple surrounding towns as well. I know in Indiana, the Pawnshops take fingerprints as well.
If you have had things stolen from you, your best bet is to contact your local police department and file a police report. Let the detectives contact the pawnshops. I hope this information helps. For more information about IL Pawnshops, Check out the Arlington Height’s Pawnshop FAQ
Also, you can read the entire Pawnbroker Regulation Act of IL
Thanks so much to all who replied to my inquiry. I did report the theft to the police in both instances and ( it was the same person both times ) however the police did very little. In Florida the pawn shops are only required by law to hold any merchandise that they have purchased for 15 days. The 2nd time, thanks to some really great detective work by my family, we located where the thief was holed up. Once he was caught (and he had violated his probation from the 1st theft ) he readily told where he had sold the goods. By the way he sold it about 40 miles from the town I live in, We went to the pawn shop ( International Gold & Silver----they have stores in many states) on day 14 and reclaimed , for $3,050.00, the jewelry and were very surprised to find out the police had YET to even file the police report. Seems to me the police just don’t care. Another interesting fact—I live in Hernando Co., Fl. and the problem with druggies doing this here is so severe that our county was reported by 60 minutes as one of the top counties in the nation for this type of crime. Thus, I’m trying to gather as much information as possible as to how other states handle this problem so I have some fact & figures when I meet with our state senator to try and get the laws in Fl. changed. To anyone who has just seen my post, I would REALLY appreciate any info about how your state handles this. They do take a pic of both the person & the drivers license & a finger print----but what good does this do if the pawn broker has no resource or incentive to check out the person and/or the merchandise?
What state are you in?
OP, you clearly have some fiscal resources. So, three questions:
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Why do you have a shady roommate? You clearly don’t need a roommate to afford housing.
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Have you considered utilizing bank safety deposit boxes for those items you don’t frequently use? They’re quite secure, and i’ve yet to see a bank vault that can be stolen away.
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How about a home security system? Would that help at all?
I don’t know what the law on pawn shops is in Michigan, but they’re cracked down on scrap metal salvagers recently. I believe you need to present your drivers license. There was talk about making it illegal to pay in cash for scrap metal, altho I don’t know if this became law or not.
Hmmm. I’ve pawned a couple of things in Florida rather than sell them at garage sales and they always ask for ID. I thought that was the Fl law as well but maybe it is simply policy for certain businesses.
Basically, a thief cannot pass title (he doesn’t have it) but a person who buys in good faith can’t be charged with possession of stolen goods. “Good faith” is subject to the “reasonableness” test. If you buy a flat-screen TV for $50 something is wrong, you should have known. If you buy it for $1,000, obviously you are not getting a sweet deal simply because it’s hot merchandise.
If you have thousands of money to lose on druggies, why don’t you use some of that to ask a lawyer? See if you can su the guys in small claims court to get your $3000 back?
Meanwhile, digital cameras are really cheap nowadays (heck, cell phones have them). Do a photographic inventory of your goods, burn it to CD, and put it in a safe place. I imagine part of the issue is proving ownership in the first palce…
It **is **Florida law. Nowadays you have to provide a thumbprint too under the Florida Pawnbroking Act (most recently amended in 2011, don’t have time to check the version history to see when that requirement was added.)
[QUOTE=§539.001, Fla. Stat.]
(8) PAWNBROKER TRANSACTION FORM.—
(a) At the time the pawnbroker enters into any pawn or purchase transaction, the pawnbroker shall complete a pawnbroker transaction form for such transaction, including an indication of whether the transaction is a pawn or a purchase, and the pledgor or seller shall sign such completed form. The agency must approve the design and format of the pawnbroker transaction form, which must be 81/2 inches x 11 inches in size and elicit the information required under this section. In completing the pawnbroker transaction form, the pawnbroker shall record the following information, which must be typed or written indelibly and legibly in English.
(b) The front of the pawnbroker transaction form must include:
1. The name and address of the pawnshop.
2. A complete and accurate description of the pledged goods or purchased goods, including the following information, if applicable:
a. Brand name.
b. Model number.
c. Manufacturer’s serial number.
d. Size.
e. Color, as apparent to the untrained eye.
f. Precious metal type, weight, and content, if known.
g. Gemstone description, including the number of stones.
h. In the case of firearms, the type of action, caliber or gauge, number of barrels, barrel length, and finish.
i. Any other unique identifying marks, numbers, names, or letters.
Notwithstanding sub-subparagraphs a.-i., in the case of multiple items of a similar nature delivered together in one transaction which do not bear serial or model numbers and which do not include precious metal or gemstones, such as musical or video recordings, books, and hand tools, the description of the items is adequate if it contains the quantity of items and a description of the type of items delivered.
3. ****The name, address, home telephone number, place of employment, date of birth, physical description, and right thumbprint of the pledgor or seller.
4. The date and time of the transaction.
5. The type of identification accepted from the pledgor or seller, including the issuing agency and the identification number.
[/QUOTE]