Laws Regulating Pawning Designed to Curb Thefts

Heidelberg’s police chief is suggesting the borough develop a pawn store ordinance to regulate the resale of personal items and scrap metal.

Although there isn’t a pawn store within the borough, Chief Vernon Barkley thinks it is needed to oversee any unscrupulous sales to the two antique shops and scrap metal buyer.

“I know in the past people have said they know something is stolen (and being sold), but they can’t prove it and we have nothing to go on,” Barkley said. “The shop doesn’t really keep records.”

The ordinance would require people to provide some sort of identification and a little bit of information on where they received the item. The shops would keep records and the police could review those if they suspect something in Heidelberg or elsewhere was stolen.

Barkley said that would give police more ability to retrieve stolen property and arrest thieves. He suggested the ordinance to members of during their Tuesday night agenda meeting.

A business on Industry Way is now buying scrap metal, and police are concerned because of a rash of copper thefts from around the area.

“You’re going to find out if the economy isn’t better and if there’s an opportunity … then people will do this,” Barkley said. “It’s going to keep going on, so you need to put something in place.”

Barkley received the idea from the South Hills Area Council of Governments, which is encouraging uniform ordinances to help municipalities. The borough’s solicitor would have to draft an ordinance before the council could review it and vote on the measure several months later.

Also during the meeting…

-Council agreed to acquire a small block of land at Collier Avenue and West Railroad Street so the borough can turn it into a flower garden. The expected cost to purchase the abandoned land will be under $2,000, officials said. Mayor Kenneth LaSota has dubbed the area the “Gas House Gardens” and is asking members of the community to donate perennial flowers such as daylilies, daisies and irises.

-The Port Authority will build a small bus shelter in front of the Exxon gas station along Route 50. The borough originally hoped Lamar Advertising would build a shelter, but the size of the structure would not fir inside the right-of-way.

-The borough police department welcomed Leash Vallone as a part-time officer on May 1. She will begin her training on Sunday.

-Heidelberg’s neighborhood garage sale is scheduled for Saturday.

-The 2010 financial audit on the borough was submitted to the state. Borough officials are considering posting the results to Heidelberg’s website.