At least two people were arrested during a raid at a Tamarac pawn shop where authorities say stolen merchandise was knowingly being sold.
Broward Sheriff's Office detectives executed the search warrant at Richie's Pawn Shop at 5227 N. State Road 7 Tuesday, following a year-long investigation dubbed operation "Getting Rich."
The suspects were identified as 34-year-old Timothy Skehan and 21-year-old Brandon Etskovitz. Etskovitz is the grandson of the shop's owner, officials said.
Officials said the suspects participated in an organized retail crime operation where they knowingly sold stolen merchandise. The suspects are facing numerous felony counts of organized dealing in stolen property, officials said.
According to investigators, thieves would travel from throughout South Florida to the pawn shop because they knew the shop would accept stolen goods. The thieves were often paid about 25 cents on the $1, officials said.
"This particular pawn shop was known throughout the area as basically a free for all, a fencing operation, they weren't doing anything correctly," BSO Sgt. Rich Rossman said. "They're bound by Florida Statute to fill out pawn slips, swear that the owners, the people selling the property, are pledging the property is theirs, they did that on some occasions but on many many other occasions they did not do that."
Authorities haven't released the suspects' names.
Check back with NBC 6 for updates.
