The purpose of this subchapter is to promote the safety and welfare of the residents of the Virgin Islands by prescribing procedures which will significantly curtail the disposition of certain stolen property by thieves and which will assist in identifying that stolen property so it may be returned to the owners thereof.
(a) As used in this subchapter, the term “trader” shall mean any person, corporation, partnership or other business entity in the Virgin Islands which acquires from a consumer through purchase, in exchange for money, trade, barter or other valuable consideration, precious metals, precious stones or watches, except that those established merchants in fixed locations are […]
Only those items of personal property listed below shall be subject to the requirements of this subchapter: (1) precious metals; (2) precious stones; and (3) watches.
No trader shall purchase, barter, exchange or otherwise receive any precious metals, precious stones or watches in the designated locations listed below: (1) Within any guestroom, guest unit of a hotel, motel, tourist home, or tourist camp; (2) In or about any vehicle parked within an automobile parking compound, automobile parking lot, or parked elsewhere […]
(a) Any trader doing business in the locations permitted in this subchapter shall record the purchase, barter, exchange, pledge, or other receipt by him of any item described in section 310 of this subchapter, and also any subsequent disposition of that item from his possession. Recording shall be on forms obtainable from the U.S. Virgin […]
Notwithstanding subsection (a) of section 312 of this subchapter, no record is required in the case of new or unused merchandise received by a trader from an established, reputable manufacturer or wholesaler, with a fixed place of address, provided that the trader shall retain an invoice or other customary proof of origin of such merchandise.
No trader shall purchase, barter, exchange, or otherwise receive any item described in section 310 of this subchapter from a minor under the age of eighteen (18).
(a) No trader and no employee or other person acting for the trader shall melt, vulcanize, or otherwise destroy or change the identity of or dispose of any item described in section 310 of this subchapter and received by the trader until a period of ten (10) days shall have elapsed after the date of […]
When property has been reported as stolen to police authorities in the Virgin Islands and in order to seek the whereabouts of that stolen property, or when there is probable cause to believe that record entries are incorrect or that not all items required to be recorded have, in fact, been recorded, any member of […]
Any person or corporation who violates or fails to comply with any provision of this subchapter or who makes any false statement in connection therewith or who gives false identification shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars ($2,000) or imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or […]
(a) No trader shall dedicate himself or herself to the purchase of precious metals, precious stones or watches without having beforehand obtained a valid license issued by the Commissioner of Licensing and Consumer Affairs in compliance with the disposition of this law. (b) The application to obtain said license shall be on such forms as […]
The provisions of this subchapter are severable and if any of its provisions or any sentence, clause or paragraph shall be held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision of such court shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions hereof.
This subchapter shall become effective 120 days after January 29, 1982.
