Council gives preliminary approval to new electronic reporting program soon to be required for pawnbrokers

Mounties are hoping a new electronic reporting program soon to be required for pawnbrokers will help stem the tide of property crime in Penticton.

Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to an amended pawn shop bylaw that mandates the businesses purchase $300 software and record goods in a database accessible to the RCMP electronically, replacing the current method of faxed reports.

The technology first came before council in the 1990s, when it was considered unfeasible and priced in the thousands of dollars, according to Mike Schyrbiak, owner of Mike’s Pawnbrokers on Main Street.

His business already records its purchases electronically, and the list is then converted to a fax for the RCMP.

“As far as what we do in a day, it will have very little effect on us. It may make (the RCMP’s) job simpler — not sure why we are the ones who need to pay for it, but it’s a pretty nominal charge,” Schyrbiak said.

He said his operation already does everything it can to avoid stolen goods.

“It’s ultimately us (out) the funds when we end up with a stolen item. The chances of getting restitution from your typical criminal are slim to none. It’s not a lucrative thing to purchase a stolen good and it’s criminal if you do it intentionally,” Schyrbiak said.

The Regional Automated Property Identification Database is operated by a Regina-based company. The system is already in place in Vancouver, Kelowna, Kamloops and other communities throughout B.C. to great success, according to Penticton RCMP Cpl. Laurie Rock.

Rock said in her experience working in Kelowna she found the program “very beneficial,” noting the recording technology can bolster investigations into breakins and other forms of property crime.

“Having this kind of databank, it’s such a great system that we can identify just key words, or a specific brand, or part of a serial number. It’s smart enough that it will clue in on that and at least gives the opportunity to dig a bit deeper and return these goods to people,” said Rock.

Owners of half-dozen or so pawn shops in Penticton will be given a training session in June to walk them through the changes and the new bylaw requirements.

Coun. Campbell Watt said he would like to see bylaw officers come down harder on brokers who don’t follow the new rules, and wanted to see escalating fines and business licenses getting revoked after multiple fines were incurred.

The rules “are pretty straightforward,” Watt said. “You should never get a fine.”

Checking compliance with the new bylaw would likely see plainclothes officers following up on irregular patterns in sales, Rock said.

Council unanimously approved the first and second reading of the bylaw, also asking staff to return with legislation for escalating fines for non-compliant businesses, likely a step-up model from $300 to $600 to $900 fines, and then a business license review process.

Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said the scope of those fines should be broadened, citing two marijuana dispensaries operating despite a courtendorsed order not to sell as one of the more blatant examples.

“There should be some stiffer consequences,” Jakubeit said.