[Amended 3-12-2007 by Ord. No. 07-03]
The Mayor may grant licenses to suitable persons
to be pawnbrokers and to carry on the business of lending money on
the pledge of personal property, or of purchasing such property on
condition of selling it back again at a stipulated price, and may
revoke such licenses for cause. The person so licensed shall pay a
license fee of $50, and $25 per year thereafter for renewal of such
license, and shall, at the time of receiving such license, file a
bond with competent surety in the penal sum of $2,000 and conditioned
for the faithful performance of the duties and obligations pertaining
to the business so licensed. Each such license shall designate the
place where such business is to be carried on and shall continue one
year unless sooner revoked.
Any person, corporation or partnership which
engages in the business of a pawnbroker, unless licensed according
to law, or after notice that its license has been revoked, or which
violates any of the provisions of this chapter, or neglects to keep
a book in the English language or to make the entries therein as provided
by law, or refuses to allow the same to be inspected by the proper
officers, or receives an article of personal property by way of pawn
or pledge from any minor, knowing or having reason to believe him
to be a minor, shall be fined not more than $50 for the first offense
and not more than $100 for the second offense and, for the third offense,
shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than six
months, or both, and also shall forfeit treble the amount loaned on
the property so pledged to any person injured thereby who sues therefor.