[Amended 3-28-1997 by Ord. No. 91]
The City Council may license suitable persons to carry on the
business of pawnbrokers in the City, subject to the laws of the commonwealth,
and may revoke such licenses at pleasure. The City Council shall not
issue more than one license for every 50,000 inhabitants. All licenses
shall continue in force until the first day of May following the granting
of such license. Whenever such a license is revoked, the City Clerk
shall note the revocation upon the face of the record thereof and
shall give written notice to the licensee in person or leave it at
the place of business designated in the license.
Every license required under the provisions of this article
shall be signed by the City Clerk and shall be recorded by him in
a book kept for that purpose before being delivered to the licensee.
Such license shall set forth the name of the person licensed, the
nature of the business, and the building or place in which it is to
be carried on. The licensee shall not conduct the pawnbroker business
in a building or place other than that designated in the license,
unless consent is granted by the City Council.
[Amended 2-19-1991 by Ord. No. 70A]
The licensee shall, at the time of receiving such license, file
with the authorities who issue the license a bond in the sum of $300
with two sureties approved by such authorities and conditioned for
the faithful performance of the duties and obligations pertaining
to the business so licensed.
[Amended 4-10-2003 by Ord. No. 79]
A. Every person licensed to carry on the business of pawnbroker shall
keep a book at his place of business in which he shall, at the time
of making a loan, enter in the English language a detailed description
of every article purchased or taken in pawn at the time of receiving
it, particularly describing any prominent or descriptive marks, and
the name, age, and residence (by street and number) of the person
from whom, and the day and hour when, he purchased it, and the amount
paid therefor or loaned thereon, including the monthly interest rate
for such loan, and the number of the pawn ticket.
B. Every pawnbroker shall photograph any person pawning or pledging
articles and shall keep such photographs with said books as part of
his records.
C. Articles deposited in pawn with a licensed pawnbroker shall, unless
redeemed, be retained by him on the premises in accordance with MGL
c. 140, § 71.
No pawnbroker shall, directly or indirectly, receive any article in pawn of any minor, knowing or having reasonable cause to believe him to be such; and no article received in pawn shall be sold until the expiration of the time and in the manner provided by statute. Every pawnbroker shall make out and deliver at the office of the Chief of Police each day before the hour of 12:00 noon a legible and true copy of all entries made during the 24 hours ending at 8:00 a.m. of the same day in the record book required to be kept by §
192-38.
The Chief of Police or the City Council, or any police officer
authorized by either of them, may at any time enter upon any premises
used by a licensed pawnbroker for the purposes of his business, ascertain
how he conducts his business and examine all articles taken in pawn
or kept or stored in or upon such premises, and all books and inventories
relating thereto. Any person who willfully hinders, obstructs or prevents
such officers from entering such premises or making such examination
shall be punished as provided by statute.
[Amended 4-10-2003 by Ord. No. 79; 10-22-2003 by Ord. No. 293]
A. Licensed pawnbrokers may not charge more than:
(1) For
loans up to and including $25: 5% per month (and each fraction thereof
at the same rate).
(2) For
loans over $25: 3% per month (and each fraction thereof at the same
rate).
B. No such pawnbrokers shall charge or receive any greater rate of interest,
and interest shall be determined on the precise sum advanced.
C. No pawnbroker shall make or receive any extra charge or fee for storage,
care or safekeeping of any goods, articles or thing pawned with him.
[Amended 4-10-2003 by Ord. No. 79]
A. No pawnbroker shall loan money secured by deposit or pledge of a
firearm, rifle, shotgun or machine gun.
B. No pawnbroker shall hold a license to sell, rent, or lease a firearm,
rifles, shotguns, or machine guns.
[Amended 4-10-2003 by Ord. No. 79]
If any goods or articles pawned or pledged and in the possession
of a pawnbroker are subsequently determined to be stolen property
by a member of the Beverly or State Police Department, or if the rightful
owner identifies property in the possession of a pawnbroker and the
property so identified is confirmed to be stolen goods by a member
of the Beverly or State Police Department, upon direction by the Beverly
or State Police Department, said property shall be forthwith returned
to the rightful owner or delivered to such member of the Beverly or
State Police Department at no cost to such owner.