Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 19-26 - Pawnbrokers
Section 19-26-5. - Records and reports — Retention of articles pawned — Violations.

§ 19-26-5. Records and reports — Retention of articles pawned — Violations.
(a) Every pawnbroker shall require positive proof of identification with photograph, date of birth, and current address of every pawnor and shall require the pawnor to sign a statement on a form to be approved or provided by the attorney general stating that the pawnor is the legal owner of the property or is the agent of the owner authorized to pawn the property, and when and where or in what manner the property was obtained.
(b)(1) Every pawnbroker shall keep a copy of the statement form approved by the attorney general, in the English language, in which the pawnbroker shall enter the date, duration, and amount of any loan made by him or her; a full and accurate description of all articles pawned; the rate of interest; and the name, personal description, occupation, telephone number, date of birth, and place of residence (with the street and number of the house) of the pawnor. The pawnbroker shall require the pawnor to sign the statement form with his or her name and address.
(2) Upon the receipt of the property, the pawnbroker shall deliver to the pawnor a memorandum in writing, signed by him or her, numbered with a number corresponding to the number of the statement form, and containing the substance of the statement form.
(3) Whenever required, the pawnbroker shall submit copies of the statement forms to the inspection of the attorney general, mayor, chief of police, or the deputy chief of police, or any member of the detective police of any city, or to the chief of police or the town sergeant of any town, and shall also make out and deliver to the chief of police of the city, or to the chief of police or the town sergeant of the town where the license has been granted, every day before twelve o’clock noon (12:00 p.m.), a legible and correct copy of all the statement forms made during the twenty-four (24) hours preceding the hour of ten o’clock (10:00) a.m. of the day upon which the copy is made. The pawnbroker shall deliver or mail weekly to the attorney general copies of all statement forms from the preceding seven-day (7) period; and shall retain for inspection of the attorney general, mayor, chief of police, deputy chief of police, or any member of the detective police of any city, or of the chief of police or town sergeant of any town, all articles received in pawn, for a period of at least forty-eight (48) hours from the time the articles were received.
(4) Any pawnbroker who knowingly writes the wrong name or address of a person offering any article for pawn, or who knowingly permits the signing of the wrong name or address, shall be fined one hundred dollars ($100) for the first offense. Upon a second offense, the pawnbroker’s license shall be revoked, and he or she shall not be permitted to conduct the business of pawnbroker in this state for one year. For violating any other provisions of this section a pawnbroker shall be fined one hundred dollars ($100).
(5) Any person offering any article for pawn who signs a wrong name or address shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) or by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months.
History of Section.G.L. 1896, ch. 105, § 3; G.L. 1909, ch. 126, § 3; P.L. 1909, ch. 435, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 131, § 3; G.L. 1938, ch. 364, § 3; G.L. 1956, § 19-26-5; P.L. 1996, ch. 166, § 2; P.L. 1996, ch. 201, § 2; P.L. 2004, ch. 595, art. 26, § 2.

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