Pawnstores
 

I just read on the on-line news that a Villages woman was taken by ambulance to the hospital. At the hospital, she asked a friend to take her jewelry home. The friend did that and the friend's boyfriend took the jewelry that same day and pawned it!

When the woman got out of the hospital, she discovered her jewelry was missing. Police uncovered what had occurred and the boyfriend was arrested - and released on $4,000 bond.

My real question is doesn't a legitimate pawnstore ask for some proof of ownership before taking in items? Aren't they guilty of buying stolen merchandise? I also understand that victims of such crimes have to BUY the merchandise back from the pawnstore. That just is wrong on so many levels.

Some things are easy to prove ownership but jewelry isn't one of them. All he had to do was say it was his mother's and the pawnshop is off the hook. The pawnshop would be liable if the items were on a list of stolen property given to pawnshops, but not otherwise. Some states, like Florida, require the victim purchase the stolen items, the theory being the criminal will ultimately have to pay damages including the cost of getting the stolen items back. Rarely works in real life.

That's so sad...being victimized once by the thief, and then again by the system.

No pawn shop asks for proof. I believe a pawn shop has to hold an item they buy for thirty days before they can sell it. I had some stuff stolen and it was pawned. I checked a couple pawn shops and found my stolen items. I had the serial numbers to prove they were mine. Pawn shop gave them back to me. I paid nothing. I believe they have insurance to cover themselves.

It is always a good idea to have photographs of valuable items in case of theft or fire. The pawn shops in Maryland have to hold items for 30 days. Usually robbery and burglary detectives make frequent checks at the pawn shops to compare the items that were brought to the pawnshop and compare the pawned items and the stolen items. If items that are in the pawn shop can be linked to the stolen items the items are returned to the victim (S) without charge. The pawn shop takes the loss. This gives the pawn shop great incentive to get excellent ID and refuse to take items they believe to be suspicious. I really would hate to see a person victimized twice.

I read the story...and maybe the friend who took the jewelry home isn't so innocent. Who knows? I have never pawned an item or purchased an item at a pawnshop. But there must be a need for them. Place the blame directly where it belongs, on the thief or thieves. Walk through your home and take a look around...check your jewelry boxes, safes, drawers, etc. Were you to fall on tough times and need some quick cash, how many of your valuables and possessions could you show proof of ownership?

I agree. I haven't either. It seems it isn't the system that is wrong. It's the jerk that stole her stuff.

Pawn store= legalized fencing. They ask if stolen? Answer = no. OK, 10 cent on the dollar what it's worth. I once went to pawn shops looking for stolen items. Could NOT see anything less than 90 days old that was pawned. That was the law in the state I was in. Any business that should be ran out of business is pawn shops IMO.:22yikes: