My property was stolen. Should I go to pawnshops looking for my property?

Here is some information that can help you decide. Pawn laws require a twenty (20) day retention period for property bought by the pawnshop and a ninety (90) day retention period for any pawned item. This means that if your property was recently stolen and taken to a pawnshop, it cannot be displayed for sale until one of these time requirements is met.

Additionally, when the retention period has passed, the pawnshop is under no obligation to display these items in the shop as items for retail sale. Many shops sell items via eBay or liquidators and never display them on their sales floor.

If you do locate your property in a pawnshop, pawnshops usually do not release any information due to privacy laws.  They also are under no obligation to answer questions. If you do locate your property inside a pawnshop, you should contact the police department immediately for assistance.

I loaned my property to someone and he or she pawned it. What can I do?

Many times, these types of situations are considered civil matters. A matter cannot be considered criminal in nature unless  ownership is clearly established or resolved by a civil court.  Police cannot take enforcement action for property  in which there is disputed interest.

If there are not ownership, control, or civil disputes regarding the property, and you know where your property was pawned or sold, contact the police department for assistance.  

I rented my property to someone who pawned it.

If this was accomplished via a verbal,  written or contractual agreement, this is a civil matter. If the contract specifically prohibits the pawning of the item, this does not make this a criminal matter. It is still a civil matter in which redress may be sought for in a civil court.

A family member pawned my property. What can I do?

This depends on if prosecution is desired by the victim or not desired. If you choose not to prosecute, wait until the pawn period is over (90 days) and then you may try to purchase the item from the pawnshop for the retail amount. If you genuinely choose to prosecute, file a report with the police department. 

What laws regulate pawnshops in Mesa?

The primary laws pertaining to licensing, regulation and reporting requirements are outlined in Arizona state law  title 44 and City of Mesa city code title 5. These laws primarily regulate pawn shops in Mesa, but are not all inclusive. 

My property was stolen a few months ago and I just found the serial numbers.

If the initial officers who contacted you gave you a citizen's mail-in form, you should use this form to add the new information for any item you now have serial numbers for and mail it to the police department as soon as possible. Please, keep in mind that the better you describe the items stolen from you, the greater you increase the chances of its recovery. If you did not receive a mail-in form, you should contact the police department and ensure they add this information to your case or have them send you this form so you can fill it out and return it to be added to your case.

My house was burglarized last week. After my initial report, the police have not contacted me. Why is it taking so long?

Once an officer has taken a report from a victim, if it is not an in-custody arrest situation or case requiring immediate action, it can take anywhere from several days to a several weeks before the case is reviewed by a Detective Supervisor.

In reviewing the case, there are  many factors for determining an appropriate resolution. Is a suspect named? What is the probability the case can be solved? How much follow-up investigation is necessary? What resources are available for this case? These and many other factors help a Supervisor determine if a case will be assigned. If the case is determined to merit assignment, you will be contacted by the assigned detective. If after a few weeks you have not heard from a detective, you can check the status of case by calling CID at 480-644-4075.

The Mesa Police Department is sensitive to the needs of all crime victims. We ask for your patience and understanding as we meet the needs of other crime victims, with the same level of service you can expect from us in handling your case. 

Jewelry was stolen from me. Can jewelry be tracked or recovered?

Many times this depends on the uniqueness of the item. If the item is "common" jewelry with no distinguishing marks, numbers, or charms, this usually cannot be identified sufficiently enough to be recovered.

If however, the item has unique identifying stones, inscriptions, monograms,  initials, weights, rarity, charms, attachments or other markings that make it readily identifiable, then there is greater chance of recovery.