VSO Detectives Arrest DeLand Pawn Shop Owner for Operating Illegally

Date Added: December 19, 2019 1:17 pm

Laura Williams,
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

DELAND PAWN SHOP OWNER ARRESTED
Defendant Operated Without License, Sold Items Without Keeping Records

The owner of # 1 Gold Buyers, a DeLand pawn shop, has been arrested and charged with operating without a license after sheriff’s detectives executed a search warrant, seizing more than 200 items including cash and guns during the investigation.

Mark Costantine, 39, (DOB 07/10/1980) of Deltona was arrested Wednesday after detectives from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office Northwest Detectives Unit, Crime Suppression Team and Deltona Detectives Unit searched the business, located at 209 S. Spring Garden Ave. 

The investigation was prompted by detectives’ investigations into DeLand-area burglaries, dating back to March 2019. Detectives learned # 1 Gold Buyers was operating a pawn shop possibly illegally.

During this investigation, detectives discovered the business doesn’t have a pawn license but has a weights and measures license because Costantine advised the state Department of Agriculture he is a second-hand dealer and no longer operates as a pawn shop. However, an electronic sign at the business indicates it is a pawn shop and the investigation revealed he was actively conducting pawns.

Detectives checked the Pawn Shop Database and found the business has not uploaded any transactions since May 27, 2016. State law requires pawn shops and second-hand dealers to complete transaction forms when purchasing property and upload them to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office (VSO) server.

On Wednesday as the search warrant was executed, detectives discovered none of the property in the shop had a completed pawn transaction form or receipt. About 200 items of property, $6,000 in cash and 34 guns were seized in the investigation.

Costantine was charged with engaging in pawnbroker business without a license. He was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail and later released on $5,000 bail.