Pawnshop sale leads to arrests

Published 6:52 pm Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Joshua Lee Mercer and Megan Christine White

 

Stolen jewelry and a missing gold coin turned up in a downtown Washington pawnshop has led to the arrest of two Washington residents, said a press release from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

“Anytime someone sells or pawns property, state law requires that they provide picture identification,” said Maj. Kenneth Watson, spokesman for the sheriff’s office.

It’s how Megan Christine White, 19, and Joshua Lee Mercer, 19, both of East Main Street in Washington, became suspects in the case.

Watson said there are clear signs at every pawnshop’s counter stating that reports of purchases by pawnshops will be released to local law enforcement.

The items stolen July 16 from a residence on Cherry Road, Washington, were recovered. White and Mercer were arrested on Aug. 3 — White charged with obtaining property by false pretenses and felony larceny; Mercer, with obtaining property by false pretenses and misdemeanor larceny.

The false pretenses charges come from the documentation that a person selling items to a pawnshop must sign, attesting that the property is theirs to sell, Watson said.