As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
SECONDHAND MERCHANT or SECONDHAND DEALER OF PRECIOUS METALS
Any person, firm or corporation, who, within the Township,
purchases, trades, handles or deals in any secondhand or used watches,
jewelry, cutlery, gold, or other precious metals, wrought gold or
other wrought precious metals, or any secondhand or used article whatsoever
composed or manufactured in whole or in part of gold or other precious
metals.
The license fee to be paid to the Township by any secondhand
merchant or secondhand dealer of precious metals shall be $500. The
license shall be valid from January 1 to December 31, renewable annually.
Every secondhand merchant and secondhand dealer of precious
metals must keep, without concealment, for a period of 10 days, subject
to inspection by any police officer, all goods, wares and merchandise
purchased or received from any person before selling, shipping or
otherwise disposing of the same. This provision shall be followed
in addition to the section above, requiring reports and records.
No secondhand dealer of precious metals shall make use of any
property, private or public, not included within the licensed premises,
or bank vault, within the Township, leased to the secondhand dealer
for the storage, handling or display of any secondhand article.
No secondhand dealer of precious metals shall take apart or melt up any watch, watch case or article composed or manufactured, in whole or in part, of gold, silver or platinum or other precious metal until he shall have made a record of his intention to do so, along with all other data required to be recorded in the book mentioned in the section above, and unless and until he shall have kept such article in his licensed place of business or bank vault in the Township, leased to the secondhand dealer, for inspection for a period of not less than 10 days after the report provided for under §
202-6 above has been made, unless the article proposed to be taken apart, melted up, wrecked or remodeled has been sooner inspected by the Chief of Police or his deputy or received clearance for such melting, wrecking or remodeling.
Every secondhand dealer of precious metals shall maintain and
display his license at all times during the period of his license
in a conspicuous place or in the licensed premises.
Every secondhand dealer of precious metals shall, at the time
of receiving such license, execute a bond to the Township of Middle
in the penal sum of $10,000 with good and sufficient surety or sureties
to be approved by the Township Solicitor conditioned upon the licensee
faithfully observing and complying with the provisions of this chapter
at all times during the continuance of such license and conditioned
further upon a promise to indemnify, keep and hold the Township of
Middle harmless against all liabilities, judgments, costs, damages
and expenses which may in any way come against the Township in consequence
of the issuance of said license or by any act or thing done or neglected
to be done by said licensee under and by virtue of the authority granted
in said license or for the failure or neglect of such licensee to
observe and comply with the ordinances of the Township relating to
the business licensed.
No secondhand dealer of precious metals shall purchase any secondhand
article whatsoever from any minor or minors without written parent
or guardian consent.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to secondhand
material purchased from any regular motor vehicle dealer, public utility
corporation, governmental agency, regularly licensed junk dealer,
industrial plant or licensed electrical or plumbing contractor, to
purchases at judicial sales or to items left for repair.
In addition to being subject to the penalties provided in this
chapter, any license issued under this chapter may be revoked or suspended
as outlined, as deemed necessary by the Chief of Police.
For the violation of any provision of this chapter, the maximum
penalty, upon conviction of the violation, shall be a fine not exceeding
$500 or imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding
90 days, or both. In addition thereto, upon such conviction, the person,
firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter
shall be subject to suspension or revocation of the license issued.