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Templeton woman buys back stolen jewelry

September 4, 2011

A Templeton woman was excited to learn that an Atascadero pawn shop had purchased her stolen jewelry. An emotion dampened when she learned she would have to pay the shop $2,100 before she could retrieve her items. [KSBY]

Carol Morgan left her home unlocked on Wednesday while her husband worked in the barn and she ran some errands. When she returned home, she discovered someone had entered her bedroom and stolen her jewelry.

“They had looked in several places, but had taken anything gold,” Morgan told KSBY. “I felt so violated and that first night going to bed and knowing that somebody was just three feet at the foot of my bed that day — that was bad.”

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff deputies notified local pawn shops, including Atascadero Jewelry and Loan, of the theft. An employee of the shop informed deputies the next day that the shop had purchased the jewelry from Fransisco Gomez and Vern Siordia, both 19-years-olds from Paso Robles.

“I thought they’re going to give me my jewelry back, well, it doesn’t work that way,” Morgan told to KSBY.

Even though Morgan thought the shop should return her property to her at no cost, deputies told her she was mistaken.

“The pawn shop has the right to obtain monies that they have spent to take in items that were subsequently determined to be stolen,” Sergeant Anthony Perry told KSBY.

Deputies arrested Gomez and Siordia and booked them into San Luis Obispo County Jail.

Morgan’s insurance will reimburse her for $1,000 of the $2,100 she paid the pawn shop. It is possible she can also get some restitution from the state.


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I wish SLO PD would keep an eye on the pawn shop on Garden St. in SLO. Twice I have witnessed sleezy, druggies pull up out in front in a beat-up old car, and dash and out in while the car is still running. I’d like to see some video cameras installled as a deterant to the ever-increasing crime unfortunately happening here :( I had an IPOD stolen from my car and the only way I got it back with a life-times collection of music on it, was the mother of the perp told me he had stolen it. The Sheriff’s would never had made sure that was returned to me. It was registered to me, had my name and info in it, but they made NO attempt to return it. I had to go down and get really pushy about getting it back. I kind of think they like to keep those little items for themselves~~


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In 1986 two guys broke into my home in Manhattan Beach and stole a movie camera and several pieces of jewelry. My neighbors witnessed the men who did it, took down the license number, I filed a police report Obtained copies of other police reports These guys had done this before (of course you can’t do that in Atascadero without a subpoena – even if you are the VICTIM hello?0 and discovered where the guys lived. Went with a two male friends of mine who come from Brooklyn and don’t take NO for an answer Needless to say the one guy was scared BLANK-less and needed a couple rolls of toilet paper to clean himself when we showed up We got my camera and the jewelry back WITH NO HELP from the police. CASE CLOSED. Perhaps the pawn shop should reevaluate their policies. Curious to know if the victim was able to obtain a copy of the police report. Would like to know if there is a connection between the owner and someone in the community or with the police department who is aiding the pawn shop. Corruption is everywhere


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This whole story is just nuts. Now I know that I made the right decision when I picked up my toys and moved out of Atascadero and California almost 20 years ago.


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I’m still confused.


Is the Atascadero Police Department woefully misinformed or just plain crooks!


The two 19 year olds are in jail for stealing this womans jewlery which clearly and legally establishes that a theft took place yet she has to BUY back the items stolen from her!


This is so wrong on so many levels!


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She does not need to buy back her jewelry. The Police could have put a 60 day hold on and with good cause put another 60 day hold (total of 120 days) to investigate. The jewelry would be held by the Pawn Broker, who loaned money using the jewelry for collateral.


The 2 punks are probably in jail for receiving stolen property not the burglary (unless one of them gave it up, which is doubtful). The D.A. will need evidence the 2 creations actually enter the Morgan residence to commit the theft.


Since the two are in jail and Morgan can id her jewelry the P.D. would serve a search warrant (easy to get in this case) on the Pawn Broker and seize the items. The Officers would need to show them in court at trial. After the trial the judge is required to make a property finding. Typically the Pawn Broker gets his money back and the 2 (now) convicts get to pay for it.


What is wrong is the 2 will either walk or get probation. I think they should be put to work picking up trash along the roadways for 25 cents an hour. When they whole $2100 is paid back, plus there room and board they can go free.


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Thank you, Paladin. You were the first to bring up the 30-day hold.


It sounds to me like the jewelry was offered to Mrs. Morgan to buy back before the 30-day period of time was over. During this period of time, the pawnbrokers are not legally able to offer the pawned item to anyone.


The problem, of course, is the fact that the ball-less wonder sitting in the SLOCo DA office wouldn’t file charges against the perps. If he had, and a conviction was obtained, part of the sentence could have been restitution to the victim, Mrs. Morgan.


At any rate, it is patently absurd and obscene that the Atascadero PD and the SLOCo DA put Mrs. Morgan in the position that she had to buy back her own stolen jewelery while the pawnbrokers skipped around their store celebrating the money they made off of the stolen jewelry.


I’m telling you, the county PDs, FDs and DA deserve as much respect as a dog humping a chair leg. I am so totally disgusted by the local bunch of misfits.


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