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City considers pawn shop rules
Schenectady officials discuss law to allow impromptu visits

By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer
First published in print: Saturday, July 18, 2009

SCHENECTADY -- Those dusty shelves could contain that DVD player, Xbox 360 or digital camera that thieves took from your home.


Even though some pawn shop owners say they don't want to stock stolen merchandise, it often cannot be avoided. That's why Schenectady wants to make finding such loot easier by imposing more rules on second-hand stores.

The rules would subject the stores to impromptu visits from police to see what goods they have. The businesses also would be required to ask people selling or pawning items to provide a state driver's license or passport as identification.

Store owners also would face fines for not regularly reporting what merchandise they take in, or if they don't ask for the required information from sellers.

Such changes will not only make the hunt for stolen goods easier, but also will help discourage stores from hiding hot merchandise under the nose of law enforcement, Schenectady police say.

"Right now we don't have the ability to go in and take a look at these things," said Nathan Meehan, the city police department's lead crime analyst, who requested the new ordinance. The City Council has discussed it, but has yet to vote on the measure.

"If stores are purchasing stolen property, they're not going to record it," Meehan said. "It limits our ability to follow up."

Four second-hand dealers and a scrap yard currently fax to police lists of the items they purchase and the names and addresses of the sellers. Despite the ease of selling on the Internet, such stores still exist -- and also often sell their wares online.

But the stores often accept other forms of picture ID, such as those used to obtain government assistance. And handwriting on faxes can be incomplete or illegible, Meehan said. A new e-mail system or Internet site will be devised to receive the information.

Albany began requiring an electronic report of merchandise from its second-hand dealers last year.

Dennis Schanbacher, owner of State Street Coin and Jewelry, said the proposed rules don't bother him because he said he already meets those standards. His store is filled with baby items, furniture and ceramic knick-knacks, as well as an array of electronic gadgets.
................>>>>..............>>>>...........http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=821140&category=YTSCHENECTADY

It is sad that the city has filled up with dirtbags who can't be honest and need to steal. But reality is reality. The old Schenectady is never coming back.

"The rules would subject the stores to impromptu visits from police to see what goods they have. The businesses also would be required to ask people selling or pawning items to provide a state driver's license or passport as identification."

why not NYS Social Services Client ID

So why doesn't the city just ban pawn shops and open a government, policed one themselves. That is what I would suggest. Perhaps they could fingerprint each and ever person who does business there. Gee, maybe they could catch some criminals AND turn a profit atthe same time.

And who the heck is going to follow-up and monitor all of this crap? Now they are making private businesses do the job of law enforcement as directed by the government leaders.
It is all nonsense!

good point and use the money to offset police lawsuits

Quoted from 403

"The rules would subject the stores to impromptu visits from police to see what goods they have. The businesses also would be required to ask people selling or pawning items to provide a state driver's license or passport as identification."

why not NYS Social Services Client ID

That's too funny......RealID only accepted.......