Well I know pawn shop detail cops try their best to keep things under control and as noted above pawnshop owners must be careful. Receiving stolen goods can carry serious jail time. "flea" markets and resale shops, on the other hand can sometimes have stolen items. I once bought a guitar case for 25 bucks (hardshell) and the guy asked if I wanted the guitar too, He "threw it in" because it was "crummy and made with cheap pegs and plastic strings" Turns out is was an older Ramirez, "flamenco" guitar made by the famed luthier himself. It had been stolen from a local Chicago "flamencista" about a year before. He had paid $850 (this was in 1963!) I gave it back to him and he stiffed me, after he had promised to pay me the $25 I was out! Well I was charitable, considering it a cheap lesson. Like the old saying if you "loan someone twenty bucks and they don't pay you back then that was all their friendship was worth!"

CB