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Law on store sales delayed
Law would require secondhand store owners to fill out electronic reports when buying items

By TIM O'BRIEN, Staff writer
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Last updated: 11:41 p.m., Monday, May 5, 2008

ALBANY -- A new law requiring secondhand stores and scrap dealers to use computers to tell police instantly about every sale won't take effect until October.

     
The Common Council voted Monday to delay the law, which was to take effect Wednesday, until Oct. 6. Only one portion which lengthens the time store owners must hold onto an item from five to 10 days will take effect this week.

Store owners had called the law a burden because it requires them to fill out an electronic report before they can buy an item. The reports would then be instantly filed with police to match items with property reported stolen.

Joseph Igoe, the bill's sponsor, said the police computer server is not ready to handle the electronic reports. When the system can be used, he said, a meeting will be scheduled to demonstrate it.