This chapter is enacted for the following purposes: to promote
the safety, morals and general welfare of the inhabitants of Bristol
Township in their person and property by holding pawnbrokers accountable
for the proper reporting procedures deemed necessary by the Township
and its Police Department to assist in recovering the stolen property
of its inhabitants.
In interpreting and applying the provisions of this chapter,
minimum requirements for the promotion of the public safety, comfort,
convenience, and general welfare shall be followed. Where the provisions
of this chapter impose greater restrictions than those of any statute,
other ordinance or regulation, the provisions of this chapter shall
be controlling. Where the provisions of any statute, other ordinance
or regulation impose greater restrictions than this chapter, the provisions
of such statute, other ordinance or regulation shall be controlling.
This article shall not affect persons and entities selling items
covered by this article which have been purchased from dealers, manufacturers
or wholesalers who are normally in the business of manufacturing and/or
selling said items. On the other hand, this article does cover those
persons or entities purchasing the aforesaid items from the general
public for resale or use. This article shall not apply to the sale
of goods, wares and merchandise, the proceeds of which are to be applied
to or on behalf of any entity organized for charitable, religious,
educational, philanthropic or civic service organization or its sponsoring
organization. This article shall not apply to persons purchasing said
items at garage sales or yard sales.
DEALER
A pawnbroker, precious metals dealer, antique dealer and/or
secondhand dealer.
GOVERNMENT IDENTIFICATION
A valid identification document issued by a state or federal
government, bearing a photograph that gives identifying data, such
as name, date of birth, gender, physical description, and current
address of the person bearing the card.
ITEM
Personal property, precious metals, antique and/or secondhand
or used good. MINOR—Any person under the age of 18.
PAWNBROKER
An individual, partnership, association, corporation, or
other business entity. Including an itinerant merchant, doing business
in Bristol Township, that lends money in exchange for personal property
deposited by a pledger as security that can be sold if the loan is
not repaid within a specified period, and/or engages in purchase and
re-sale of any merchandise from a pledger or seller.
PLEDGE
An article and/or articles deposited with a pawnbroker as
security for a loan or currency in the course of his/her business
as defined in the proceeding definition.
PLEDGER
The person who obtains the loan from a pawnbroker and delivers
a pledge into the possession of a pawnbroker, unless such person disclosed
that he/she is or was acting for another, in which case a “pledger”
means the disclosed principal.
PRECIOUS METALS
An item containing or being 10 karat gold or greater fineness,
silver, platinum, including, but not limited to, jewelry and silver
services.
PRECIOUS METALS DEALER
An individual, partnership, association, corporation, or
other business entity including an itinerant merchant doing business
in Bristol Township that purchases or makes appraisals of precious
metals and their alloys for resale to refiners, brokers, or the public.
SECONDHAND DEALER OR ANTIQUE DEALER
An individual, partnership, association, corporation, or
other business entity including an itinerant merchant doing business
in Bristol Township that purchases or makes appraisals of secondhand
or used good for resale or refining, or an individual who acts as
an agent for such individual, partnership, association, corporation,
or other business organization or entity.
SELLER
The person who obtains payment from a dealer in return for
the sale of any merchandise to the dealer.
WORKING DAYS
Weekdays of Monday through Friday exclusive of holidays.
The dealer shall obtain the following information from the pledger
and/or seller for the purposes of establishing identification of each
pledger or seller, and a photocopy of verified government issued identification;
an accurate physical description of the pledger and or seller including
race, gender, eye and hair color, and identifying marks, if any.
A dealer may seize an item offered in a sale or pledge which
he/she has reason to believe is stolen property. The dealer shall
issue a seizure receipt to the person presenting such property in
pledge and shall immediately deliver seized property together with
a copy of the seizure receipt to the Bristol Township Police Department.
All business transactions between dealers and minors are prohibited.