Pawn shops: We work with police

Grand Cayman pawn shops disputed statements made by a Royal Cayman Islands Police commander this week that their businesses were responsible for an increase in reported burglaries and thefts within the past 18 months.  

Cashwiz Holdings Ltd. Chairman Keith Miles said Wednesday that his stores have strict rules aimed at preventing opportunist burglars or thieves from coming in and fencing stolen goods.  

Mr. Miles said they require all customers to be at least 18 years old and have a government-issued identification. The customers also have to give fingerprints and their full address in order to make exchanges.  

“Cashwiz spends a lot of time and money ensuring that stolen goods are not easily sold in our store,” Mr. Miles said. “If there is any suspicion that the customer is not the legal owner of the property, we will not buy the item and will notify the police of our concerns.”  

During a public meeting Tuesday night, RCIPS Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks painted a very different picture before an audience of about 25 Bodden Town residents at the James M. Bodden Civic Centre.  

“Stolen items, whether it’s from burglaries or thefts, are much easier to be sold at the pawn shops,” Chief Inspector Ebanks said. “We suspect that this is the reason why the number of burglaries and thefts has skyrocketed over the past two years.”  

Michel Pacifico, who is in executive management with Cayman Precious Metals, formerly Cash-for-Gold, said he was incensed by the comments. He said the Precious Metals stores take the same precautions that Cashwiz does in dealing with customers.  

“It’s people in the streets buying stolen goods,” Mr. Pacifico said. “We work with the police. We’ve been trying to put regulations together for government to help prevent illegal operators.”  

Mr. Pacifico said he was aware of some unlicensed pawn shop operators in George Town a few years ago, but at least one of those stores has since closed.  

Mr. Miles also said Cashwiz worked to maintain relations with police.  

“[We] always help them to pursue criminals by sharing our information, if requested,” he said.  

“I believe it is more likely that stolen goods are sold on the streets rather than in a reputable business used to working with local law enforcement.” 

Since mid-2010, the RCIPS has recorded an increase in jewelry items being taken during burglaries and thefts.  

The government has never proposed legal regulations for the operation of second-hand stores, although Police Commissioner David Baines said he supports such a move. 

More recently, local police have indicated – aside from Chief Inspector Ebanks’s comments – that problems with pawn shops fencing stolen goods have diminished.  

Detective Inspector Kathy Marshall told the Cayman Compass recently that police have good relationships with local pawnbrokers, who have greatly reduced the market for trading stolen goods on island. 

A dedicated unit of investigators focusing on burglary became fully operational at the start of 2014, following a spike in reported burglaries during 2013. Burglary numbers have remained stubbornly high during the first half of this year, although they have dropped somewhat from 2013 levels.  

A rash of recent break-ins in the George Town area has led investigators to suspect a significant market for exports of stolen goods on Grand Cayman.  

Customs officers said in July that several containers confiscated at various locations around the island were loaded with tools, electronics, televisions and bicycles. Many of the goods had been reported stolen and officers were checking every item against an inventory of property taken in recent burglaries.  

Assistant Customs Collector Jeff Jackson said law enforcement authorities are continuing operations seeking “stolen goods from burglaries and thefts being shipped out of the country, going to various places, mainly Jamaica and Honduras.” 

According to the police records, theft offenses increased by 80 percent during the first six months of 2014, from 237 thefts reported in the first half of 2013 to 427 in 2014. The number of burglaries reported in the first half of 2014 fell when compared to the same period last year, but the overall number of break-ins remains stubbornly high.  

There were 262 burglaries reported in the Cayman Islands between January and June this year, compared to 281 during the same period last year.