Officials in Suffolk County said Wednesday that they are looking to crack down on thieves stealing valuables and selling them to pawn shops.
As WCBS 880’s Sophia Hall reported, authorities said drug addicts are stealing items and pawning them for cash.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said changes must be made, and he is pushing for a new law to help get stolen property back to its rightful owners.
Deputy County Executive Timothy Sini said a proposed law “requires pawn shops, as well as precious metal and gem dealers, to take a digital photograph of the seller, the seller’s identification, and the item being sold, and upload that data into an existing computerized tracking system.”
The proposal would also track the sale of electronic devices such as iPhones and iPads, and prohibit second-hand dealers from deleting any data from the devices for 21 days after the sale, Sini said.
The measure for electronic devices will make it easier for police to identify stolen property, Sini said.