(a) Every person, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of selling personal property at public auction in the State of Alabama, whether the same shall be their own property or whether they sell the same at auction as agent or employee of others, shall keep and maintain records in which shall be described and inventoried all articles of personal property received by such person, firm, or corporation for sale at auction, including the date of such receipt, the date of sale, the names and addresses of persons from whom the property was received for sale, and the names and addresses of persons to whom the property was sold; provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to the sale of livestock at auction.
(b) The records required to be kept by this section shall be open at all times to inspection by all law enforcement officers; and persons, firms, or corporations engaged in the business of selling personal property at public auction are required in any case to give all information they may have of property received and sold or offered for sale by them.
(c) Any person, firm, or corporation failing, neglecting, or refusing to keep and maintain the records provided for in this section or to permit the inspection thereof by the proper authorities shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than $1,000.