A pawn shop owner has serial numbers scratched off; He admitted they were altered when purchased. What crime is he guilty of?

• A. Theft
• B. Forgery
• C. Fraud
• D. Possessing or Receiving Personal Property with Altered Serial Numbers or Identification Marks (misdemeanor)

Answer: (D)

Possessing or receiving personal property with altered serial numbers or identification marks is a crime that targets concealment of the property’s origin. When serial numbers are scratched off, the item becomes harder to trace, which is exactly what this statute aims to deter. The pawn shop owner’s admission that the numbers were altered when purchased shows knowledge of the alteration and possession of the altered property, meeting the elements of this offense. It’s different from theft, which is taking property from someone else, or forgery, which involves creating or altering documents or signatures, and from generic fraud, which centers on deceive-for-gain schemes. The focus here is on knowingly possessing or receiving property that has identification marks that have been altered, making this the most fitting charge.