Frank Chavez, owner of Chavez Jewelry, shows a tray of secondhand jewelry Thursday at his shop in the Crestview Center on Freedom Boulevard.

A handful of Watsonville jewelry shops are facing misdemeanor charges for allegedly purchasing secondhand jewelry without proper licensing or crime-prevention procedures.

Two shop owners have been ordered to appear in court to answer for their failure to comply with state and city standards. One acknowledges having bought jewelry for some 14 years, ostensibly unaware that in addition to a business license, state law requires jewelers to have a secondhand or pawn license in order to buy used goods.

The enforcement effort began in late 2007, when police say a series of complaints prompted them to issue a warning letter to all jewelry dealers and launch an undercover investigation.

Police say they sent the letter to 25 merchants, advising them of the licensing law and their need to comply with it if they were buying or pawning secondhand items. The crackdown served to educate local businesses about laws known as the California Business and Professions Code and the city’s obligation to uphold them, officials say. It is also seen as a way of protecting consumers and deterring theft.

Dips in the economy generally produce a rise in jewelry cash-ins. Local jewelers say they’ve seen evidence of this in recent months.

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*Photo by Tarmo Hannula*

For the complete article see the 03-17-2009 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 03-17-2009 paper.

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