SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) -
From pawn shops to the traveling expos that visit hotels, cash for gold businesses are not all regulated equally.
Effingham County Sheriff Jim McDuffie says lately, he is having more and more problems with cash for gold businesses.
"It hasn't been something we had to deal with in the past until the last few years," he says.
One reason for this, thieves cashing in on stolen goods. McDuffie says he wants business owners to get their money back if they buy stolen property, and for the victims to get their items back.
Brian Jordan, owner of Gold Buyers of Savannah, says he has to be on the lookout for thieves on a regular basis. He says if he sees a 21-year-old male come in with jewelry a 60-year-old woman would wear, he knows something is up.
In Chatham County, cash for gold businesses are required to have a license. Jordan says the process is tedious but necessary.
"It's basically just go down, get a business license, follow the procedure, have a background check and fill out a lot of paperwork, and sit back and wait for the license."
But not every place you go to sell your old jewelry has such strict requirements. Sheriff McDuffie wants this to change in Effingham County, and is currently working on legislation to do so.
Another area of the industry McDuffie says is lacking regulation is traveling expos that pop up at hotels. Brian Jordan agrees.
"I wish we could have a more complete system that would cover the whole industry, not just the people that have a place of business."
No matter where you sell, Sheriff McDuffie wants you to keep in mind one important piece of advice.
"You know you can't expect these people to pay you top dollar for the gold because they are not here for that, they are here for the money."
Copyright 2012 WTOC. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and WTOC, a Raycom Media Station.
