Pawn shops (sad truth)

[Benjamin Woenig]

We have a chain of stores in Australia called "Cash Converters" (i think
they are
overseas too, not sure though). They have "attempted to takeaway the sleaze
of
the the typical pawn shop". What I don't understand is, why people sell
rusty old
hammers, sun glasses etc! Quite often you'll see a complete tool box which
looks
like it has been swiped off a handyman's truck.... no one sells their tools,
that sort
of stuff has got to be dodgy...

~bud

> Well, yes and no.. Yes, most heroin or other expensive drug addicts do
sell
> to pawn shops, although I'd be inclined to think that it's mainly guitars,
> tv's , video's.. stuff that's easy to understand.. Most pawn shops around
> here wont buy something if the would be seller is too uninformed about
their
> items.. in fact one shop here gets people to demonstrate their stuff 'to
> make sure it works properly' which is also to attempt to prevent
themselves
> from buying stolen goods.. of course, there may be an under the counter
> arrangement for those who know the code... in my experience, I'd say some
> items in pawn shops are stolen, but many others are legit..
>