Pawn shops buy, sell, and pawn thousands of used items every day, which makes some people wonder how to recover an item that was stolen and possibly pawned. Here's exactly what to do.
How a Pawn Shop Works
You can get a pawn loan — a short-term loan using your item as security, held safely for the agreed term (usually 30 days, renewable for another 30) — or sell your item outright. Either way, all you bring is a government-issued photo ID and the item. Everyday items include jewelry (even broken pieces), electronics, tools, musical equipment, and more.
What to Do if Something Is Stolen
You don't report a stolen item to the pawn shop. Instead, file a police report with your local law enforcement, and contact your insurance company to file a claim if appropriate.
How Pawn Shops Help
Reputable shops record and report everything they buy or pawn to local law enforcement, and require a government-issued photo ID on every transaction. If a stolen item matches something in a shop's records, police can identify it — and because these records are searchable nationwide, an item stolen in another region can still be traced. It's a big reason less than 1% of pawned items turn out to be stolen.
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