John,

>Gee, have your police department contact me. I've got a web connection system that allows all our local agencies to check the pawnshop data for the Memphis and Shelby County area. Sounds like they could use one too!*g*

Sounds great. I think they could use a good dose of modern technology! I was amazed at the slow, precise steps that were described to me by the car-theft detective, in passing messages and paperwork from one desk to another, and finally to him.

He talked about the system being efficient, and my comment was that it might be slowly efficient (not letting things drop through the cracks) but it surely was not speedy efficient. A few minutes later he got my paperwork by calling around and walking to another building.

He's put my lost items on a stolen-goods computer listing, and they have some kind of cross-reference system to the pawn shops online -- I forget the name of it, but it sounded like a system their department is subscribed to.

In addition, he suggested I put together a flier about the 2 Rollei cameras offering a small reward for their return, and then get those out to the pawn shops in the area in the hopes that a pawn owner who has the stuff will be more likely to cough it up if there's an incentive.

We do have the serial number for one of the cameras, but who knows if the pawn owners put the S# on their computer listing or even list everything they take in?

I can give you the detective's name if you want to make a call -- he's that department's pawn shop expert.