The City Council finds that pawnbrokers can provide an opportunity for the commission and concealment of crimes, because such businesses have the ability to receive and transfer stolen property easily and quickly. The City Council also finds that consumer protection regulation is warranted with transactions involving pawnbrokers. The purpose of this subchapter is to prevent pawn businesses from being used as facilities for the commission of crimes and to assure that such businesses comply with basic consumer protection standards, thereby protecting the public health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of the city. It is also the purpose of this section to help the Police Department regulate such businesses and to decrease and stabilize costs associated with the regulation of the pawn industry and to assist the Police Department in the identification of criminal activities in the pawn industry through the timely collection and sharing of pawn transaction information.
('72 Code, § 468:00) (Ord. 1997-843, passed 3-24-97)