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SALT LAKE CITY — Investigators from the Utah Attorney General's Office served seven search warrants on pawn shops in Salt Lake and Utah counties.
The warrants, all served simultaneously on Tuesday, were the result of an investigation that has gone on for more than a year, said Nate Mutter, the attorney general's assistant chief of investigations. The case is based on numerous complaints from both the public and law enforcement of pawn shops acting as fencing operations, or knowingly purchasing stolen goods from people.
Mutter said an "overwhelming" amount of property was seized.
"I don't know if I've ever been a part of an operation that seized as much property," he said.
Everything from power tools to kitchen appliances to sporting goods were seized.
"You name it, we probably seized it," he said.
"I don't know if I've ever been a part of an operation that seized as much property." — Nate Mutter, A.G's office
Authorities focused on confiscating items that appeared to be new as opposed to secondhand items typically sold in pawn shops, Mutter said. Investigators now have the large task of determining where all that property came from and how it came to be in a pawn shop.
No arrests were made Tuesday. Mutter did not have a time frame of how long it will be until the investigation is completed or whether criminal charges will be filed. He said he could not discuss the operation in depth due to the fact that it is still ongoing.
