A local pawn store owner was arrested last week for refusing to allow a law enforcement officer to see his pawn shop’s books.  Blake Jones of EZ Pawn in Pennville was approached by Trion Police Investigator Shannon Goins and was asked to produce his pawn records, which Jones refused to do.

Trion Police Chief Chad Spraggins told AM 1180 that Georgia Law states that any pawn broker that is licensed by the state of Georgia is required by law to produce their pawn records when requested by any law enforcement officer in the state.  Spraggins said that the law is necessary in order for law enforcement to be able to track possible stolen goods that might be pawned. 

When Jones refused to produce the records that were requested by the Trion Investigator, he called Sheriff John Everett.  During the telephone conversation between Jones and the Sheriff, Investigator Goins attempted to get the sheriff to come to the pawn shop.  According to reports, the sheriff never showed up.  Goins then proceeded to get an arrest warrant against Jones for failure to produce pawn records.  Jones turned himself in at the Chattooga County Jail on the charges last week.

Chief Spraggins said that county law enforcement is not doing an adequate job in regulating pawn shops in the county.  The police chief said that in some instances pawn records are not being kept as they should, which the chief says, can hamper law enforcement’s ability to investigate thefts.