[Sandtrap328]

We have all read articles from the online news about housekeepers, handymen, or others have taken expensive jewelry like necklaces, bracelets or rings from homes. These things are sold to pawn shops in the area for a fraction of their worth. The thief is happy to get whatever he/she can get for their habit.

The pawn shop will sell the stolen goods at a huge profit.

My question is how the pawn shop believes this very expensive jewelry is the legal property of the pawner. I have never pawned anything but I assume the pawner has to fill out paperwork and show ID. I would think the police would be able to charge pawn stores with selling stolen property as "a reasonable person" would not believe a young local lady would somehow own expensive jewelry that basically looks like jewelry an older person would wear.

I also understand that under Floriduh law, if the rightful owner of stolen pawned goods finds their goods in a pawn store, the item must be bought back by the owner. Imagine! You have to buy back your stolen property! I wonder how many times a local pawn shop will buy property from the same thief - and the pawn shop is not charged???

[Reiver]

I really want to watch you tell someone that they don't look like they could own jewelry.
Your last sentence is not entirely true. There are ways to get your property back.
If you sell to a pawnbroker, you have to sign a document which includes your name, address, home telephone number, place of employment, date of birth, physical description, and right thumbprint. These documents are provided to the police on a daily basis. It takes a special kind of stupid to sell stolen items to a pawnbroker. Life is not a Hollywood movie.
Feel free to peruse the law:
539.001 The Florida Pawnbroking Act.