How to Report Stolen Items to Pawn Shops

Could your stolen items be sitting on a pawn shop shelf?

A robbery can be a devastating event. Even if you have insurance that will cover the cost of stolen items, there may be items you wish to recover because they have sentimental value to you and your family. While pawn shops prefer to avoid purchasing stolen items, many thieves are looking for quick cash and choose to take the risk of working with a pawn shop to get some money.

Instructions

1. Make a detailed list of what items are missing. Provide a thorough description of each item. If you have the information on any model numbers or serial numbers write these down as they can help in tracking your item. Make copies of any photographs you have of the item. Although you might not have taken photos of the item directly, it's possible, for example, a stolen television appears in the background of a family snapshot or you have a photograph of yourself wearing your stolen earrings.

2. Report the robbery to the police and submit to them your detailed list of the stolen items. Law enforcement officials have access to a nationwide database that shows pawn shops items across the country. The database allows police to see pawn shop acquisitions, flags suspicious behavior and even tracks online sales of items.

3. Be aware of local laws. The laws governing pawn shops are enacted on the municipal level. In many towns, pawn shops are required to report the majority of their purchases to the police, take fingerprints from anyone wishing to pawn items and hold items for a set period of time. However, in some cities, laws have also been enacted to help pawn shops and they are not required to return items they have purchased to a robbery victim.

4. Look in local pawn shops for your stolen items. If you see any of your stolen items offered for sale in a pawn shop do not say anything to the store. Instead, contact the police to let them know you found your stolen property. Have an officer accompany you to the pawn shop so you can identify the item or items. The police can then place a hold on the item. Because pawn shops are required to hold items for a set amount of time before they can offer them for sale, they will likely not be out for sale immediately after they were stolen.

References

• Ace's Quick Cash: I've Been Robbed!
• "The Register-Herald": Police Using Online Pawn Shop Database to Track Stolen Property; Amelia A. Pridemore; Feb. 28, 2010
• "Sun Sentinel": Fort Lauderdale Pawn Shop Wants Burglarly Victim to Pay $1,150 for Her Stolen Jewelry; Michael Mayo; July 13, 2011
• City of Corpus Christi: Customer Online Center