[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Bridgeton
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Peddling and soliciting — See Ch. 254.
[Adopted 6-1-2010 by Ord. No. 09-14]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
United States or foreign metal currency to be used as money
or historical coins, no longer in circulation, having historical or
numismatic value.
Ornaments, including but not limited to items of personal
wear, made of gold, silver, or other precious metals, which may include
precious stones, including but not limited to rings, earrings, necklaces,
and bracelets.
One who purchases precious metals from the public or sells
or otherwise exchanges or trades the precious metals to refiners or
brokers or makes appraisals of the precious metals or otherwise conveys,
melts down, or alters said precious metals in any form; in addition,
a merchant who purchases coins or jewelry from the public for resale
or otherwise exchanges or trades coins or jewelry to brokers or sells
at auctions.
Gold, silver, platinum, and their alloys as defined in N.J.S.A.
51:5-1 et seq. and 51:6-1 et seq.
Not only the exchange of money for precious metals, jewelry,
or coins, but the exchange or trading of any other tangible or intangible
property for precious metals, jewelry, or coins.
Every merchant within the City of Bridgeton shall, upon the
purchase of any precious metals, jewelry, or coins from the public,
be required to do the following:
A.
Record on a numbered receipt the name, address, and telephone number
of the purchaser; the name, driver's license, address, and telephone
number of the seller or sellers; the time and date of the transaction;
the net weight in terms of pounds troy, pennyweight (troy), or kilograms/grams
of the precious metals, jewelry (and any variety or type thereof)
or coins; fineness in terms of karats for gold, and sterling or coin
for silver, in accordance with N.J.S.A. 51:5-1 et seq. and 51:6-1
et seq.
B.
Supply to the Bridgeton Police Department, within two days of the date of purchase, on a form approved by the City of Bridgeton, the information contained in Subsection A above, plus the following:
(1)
A physical description of the seller.
(2)
The receipt number.
(3)
A full description of the item or items purchased, including but
not limited to marks, numbers, dates, sizes, shapes, initials and
monograms.
(4)
The price paid for the item.
(5)
The signature of the seller, with an identification of the individual
who was responsible for handling the transaction.
(6)
A photograph of items that have been received from a seller (shall
be taken and preserved for not less than 30 days).
C.
The precious metals, jewelry, or coins are to be made available for
inspection by the Bridgeton Police Department for a period of five
days from the date the information required above is received by the
Bridgeton Police Department on the approved form. The precious metals,
jewelry, or coins shall remain in the same condition as when purchased
and shall not be changed, modified, melted, or disposed of by the
purchaser until the five-day period has expired. During this five-day
period, the precious metals, jewelry, or coins shall be placed in
public view at the purchaser's place of business. If the property
is such that it would create a hardship on the merchant by holding
the precious metals, jewelry, or coins for such period, the merchant
may present the property to the Bridgeton Police Department in order
that it may be photographed and, if deemed necessary by the Bridgeton
Police Department, an investigation may be implemented. The Bridgeton
Police Department shall have the authority to grant the merchant a
waiver of the requirement under this section.
A.
This chapter shall not apply to pawnbrokers whose activities are
regulated by the provisions of N.J.S.A. 45:22-1 et seq. and N.J.A.C.
3:16-1.1 et seq.
B.
This chapter shall not apply to purchases made by jewelers or other
merchants from wholesalers or other suppliers but shall only apply
to those purchases made from the public. The merchant shall keep records
of all wholesale purchases for a period of six months from the date
of such purchase, which records shall be available for inspection
by the Bridgeton, New Jersey, Police Department.
No merchant within the City of Bridgeton shall purchase any
precious metals, jewelry, or coins from any person under the age of
18 years.
Violators of any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction
thereof, be punished by a minimum fine of $100 or a maximum of $2,000
or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days or by a period
of community service not exceeding 90 days. Each and every violation
shall be considered a separate violation. Any person who is convicted
of violating the provisions of this chapter within one year of the
date of a previous violation and who was fined for the previous violation
may be sentenced by the court to an additional fine as a repeat offender.
The additional fine imposed as a repeat offender shall not be less
than the minimum or exceed the maximum fine provided herein, and same
shall be calculated separately from the fine imposed for the violation
of this chapter.
