By Joseph Slacian
WABASH, Ind. – Those businesses dealing in precious metals and stones will have new rules to follow under an ordinance approved on first reading Monday night by the Wabash City Council.
Police Chief Matt Bruss, who initiated the measure, said it is designed to help police battle the theft of precious metals, stones and other items by burglars and thieves.
Pawnbrokers, secondhand dealers, precious metal and stone dealers and valuable metal dealers will be required to keep record and preserve data electronically to a Wabash Police database. Police can inspect the database to see if any of the items have been reported stolen.
The dealers, under the ordinance, will be required to keep the item for 10 days before being able to offer it for resale.
In another matter, the council passed another ordinance on first reading a measure regulating transient merchants, peddlers or pledgers.
Transient merchants and peddlers must obtain a non-transferable license from the Wabash Clerk-Treasurer’s office. They also will be allowed to go door-to-door offering their services and wares only between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. However, council members questioned the length of time, saying operating until 6 or 6:30 p.m. might be more fair to the seller.
For more information, see The Paper of Wabash County.