Lee residents pawning jewelry for gas money

Lee residents pawning jewelry for gas money
The News-Press

Southwest Florida pawn shops have become stop-offs for some residents looking for a few extra bucks to fill their gas tanks.

With most unleaded regular fuel prices hovering around $3 a gallon, pawn shops are being hit up for cash to offset the high costs. Pawn shops are one of the few places where people can get money as fast as gas prices are rising.

“The last person in here pawned some jewelry to fill the gas tank,” said Robert Nykiel, owner of Bob’s Best Jewelry & Pawn, 1341 Del Prado Blvd. in Cape Coral, who reported steady business Wednesday. “They say ‘I need gas money until payday.’”

Many pawnbroker customers have been raiding jewelry boxes, pawning and even selling gems they can part with for a little while.

Pawn shop owners said customers who make long commutes, for instance from Fort Myers to Naples, are pinching every penny inside their shops.More customers have hit up Capital Pawn, 3300 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs in recent weeks, said manager Nathaniel Crain.

“Every day people are coming who need extra money for gas,” Crain said. “We’re hearing that a lot more than usual.”

The average price of a gallon of unleaded regular fuel in Southwest Florida on Wednesday was $2.99, according to AAA Auto Club South.

Watches, earrings, necklaces and even televisions, DVD players and stereos are going on pawn shop shelves as residents struggle to offset rising gas prices, owners said.

Most shops keep the pawned items for at least 30 days so owners can reclaim them before they go on the general sale shelves. Tim Velasco, owner of Gold & Pawn, 2811 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers said pawn shops have an unfair reputation of attracting drug-related clients.

Blue collar workers and professionals also have come into the shop, looking for gas money to for their SUVs, cars and pickups.

“The biggest thing right now is gas and real estate taxes,” said Tim Velasco, owner of Gold & Pawn, 2811 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers. “They’re pawning TVs, VCRs, DVDs to get from Fort Myers to Naples.”

Pawn shops are strictly regulated in the state of Florida, with sales routinely being turned over to area law enforcement investigators to ensure the pawned items aren’t stolen.

Along with gas money, some customers have been using pawn money to buy prescription drugs, shop owners said.

“Elderly people on fixed incomes can’t quite get from Social Security number to another, Nykiel said. “Where are you going to go to get $20, $30 or $50 until payday.”