In response to the Sept. 17 letter, “It’s sad victims must do own police work”:
We would like to clarify some misconceptions. Pawn shops are required by law to obtain current picture identification. A person must be 18 or older to obtain a loan or sell an item.
Pawn shops are required by law to hold a purchase for 30 days after obtaining an item. The item is held in a secure location, while waiting to pass a police hold.
Pawn shops are required to report daily transactions to an automated database called “leads online,” which checks daily all individual pawn shop transactions for stolen items. If they find an item in question, they then notify the store and put the item on police hold for an officer and the victim to identify.
This is where we would like to ask the public to be aware and possibly not become a victim. We see this time and time again, where a person has lost something very common for people to own and not have written down a serial number or even the model. Items like a digital camera or a DVD player. It is very important to write this information down and keep it somewhere separate. Perhaps identify work tools with paint or engrave with your name.
These are just a few suggestions to help the public fight crime and not be victims. Our family is very proud that we work hand-in-hand daily with local law enforcement and have helped return property back to its rightful owner.
In the past 20 years, we have experienced approximately 1 percent of our business that has turned out to be stolen and retrieved.
ANNETTE BILLESBACH
KIM SANFORD
A-1 Loans &Pawn
Everett
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