TAMARAC, FLA. (WSVN) - Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies have raided a pawn shop in Tamarac where, they said, illegal activity was being conducted.
Detectives have arrested Timothy Skehan and Brandon Etskovitz at Richie’s Pawn & Guns, located along Northwest 47th Trail, on Tuesday morning.
The stock room was filled wall to wall with items that, deputies said, were stolen.
“There’s laws. We’re gonna ensure they’re abiding by those laws,” said BSO Sgt. Rich Rossman. “If they don’t, then it’ll end up like this, a culmination of a year-long investigation with several people going to jail and probably an excess of $100,000 of stolen property coming out of this pawn shop.”
The raid comes after a year-long investigation by deputies.
Detectives reviewed hours of surveillance footage where employees at the store allegedly bought stolen goods from drug addicts, knowing they were not the rightful owners. They also said necessary paperwork that are required by law for the purchases was not filled out.
“They were buying well below the pawn norm, taking advantage of the addictions of others,” Rossman said.
“We have a lot of sketchy characters around, so I’m not really surprised,” Anelsa Blanc, who lives near the pawn shop, said.
7News cameras captured deputies wheeling power tools, kitchen appliances and electronics out of the business, which took such items even with the security sensors on them.
Officials said the items were stolen from Home Depot, Target and CVS stores in the area.
“This particular pawn shop, on several occasions, told us placed orders for items they wanted us to steal to bring back to them,” Rossman said, “so that’s one of the reasons they were charged with the organized dealing in stolen property.”
Detectives said the pawn shop was about selling items, especially hot items like power tools needed by handymen and tradesmen, cheaply and quickly.
“If I may need pressure washers, paint sprayers and stuff like that, the prices were really good,” customer Roger Baptiste said, “so I come here to check and see what they have from time to time, yes.”
Deputies said three employees have been charged. The owner of the pawn shop is not facing charges, but the investigation continues.
“Hopefully, this will make an impact within Broward County,” Rossman said. “Other pawn shops and secondhand dealers will take notice that this is something we’re not gonna turn a blind eye on.”
The Department of Agriculture is also investigating, and more charges could follow.
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