Too good to be true?

some of you guys have watched way too many episodes of csi on tv,pawn shops are a legit business & come across high end gear constantly,ebay is full of pawn shop high $$$ gear.

killer deals never wait on super sleuths.

I agree with Maineiac and Elizabeth. Eldartford's proposition is an example of the "Broken window theory" in economics. Sometime around 1800, early in the development of economic theory, someone proposed that a broken window was not economically harmful because someone would be hired to fix the window. The common sense rebutal was that, if a broken window was economically beneficial, society would be better if if all windows were broken, which intuitively seems wrong. The sophisicated rebuttal was that the economic activity of fixing the broken window diverts resources that could have been used for some other productive purpose, leaving society less well off than if the window had not been broken in the first place.

The criminal redistribution of wealth also overlooks the economic cost of living in a lawless society, which discourages wealth generating activity and keeps total societal wealth from increasing, if not actually causing it to decrease. And that's only the economic cost. There's a significant social cost as well. In Eldartford's example, the only persons who are better off are the thief and the person who persuaded someone to pay for a 2 volume thesis on how the rest of society is benefitted.

Dougmc...It's not "Eldartford's proposition" but rather an interesting idea that I submit for consideration. It is interesting precisely because it is so counterintuitive. The whole business of the fence goes far beyond his economic role...the Mayor's wife's ring example just scratches the surface.

To get an accurate assessment of the economic impact very precise metrics are essential, such as those on which the thesis was based. The guy who did this study was taken into confidence by a long established fence near Boston (and it was no little pawn shop) who set forth the complete business plan for the profession in a way that would make Harvard Business School proud. (For people who live in the Boston area, it's easy to speculate as to who the fence might be, but nothing has been proven. Or even charged, which, in itself is interesting).

The "broken window" analogy is not relevant. The window is broken, not stolen and put to use by someone who otherwise could not have a window.

I searched the library but could not find the book. Not yet anyway.

most jurisdiction require the pawn shops to submit serial numbers to the police department. this should provide you with some protection. this however assumes that the victim submitted the serial number to the police at the time of theft. By the way when my house was burgalrized they ignored the highend equipment. Appearently they did not know what it was.

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OK I found the book.

The Professional Fence
by Carl B Klockars
Published by New York Free Press (1974)
Originally presented as the author's thesis, University of Pennsylvania.

A very interesting read, even if you can't stomach the conclusions.
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