Erie County's Pawn Shop Law is moving into implementation, as law enforcers seek to use the new law to control sales of stolen merchandise to support drug habits or crime habits.
While the plan was signed into law in January, it took time to take effect because of delays in Albany approval. Now, police are moving across the county trying to find all of the businesses which buy merchandise, especially the limited number of pawn shops but also second-hand stores and scrap metal dealers, especially valuable metals in jewelry.
Sheriff's Narcotics Chief Alan Rozansky says some stores aren't cooperative with officers but will have to obey the new law.
Rozansky told of one case where investigators went to into a shop in search of a specific ring, however the proprietor "was adversarial with them, very confrontational."
After the officers threatened to get a search warrant, the proprietor "went in the back room and brought the setting and the diamond back."
Previously, only Buffalo had a law controlling these stores so investigating officers could check what was brought in. So, a lot of stolen merchandise apparently was taken to shops outside of the city. Rozansky says deputies will be working with police agencies across the county to check the estimated 100 businesses controlled by the new law.
