In last year's session, Rebecca Lockhart, R-Provo, successfully sponsored a bill that both mandated the database clearinghouse and reduced the waiting period window for pawnshops from 30 days to 10 days.

Ten days wasn't nearly enough time for Brian, who had to track down the person he bought the bike from to locate the serial number. By the time the number got into the database, his bike was long gone.

But 10 days worked out just fine for the person who sold Brian's bicycle to the pawnshop — a person, Brian discovered, "who had no address they could track down and who had previously sold more than 300 items to the same pawnshop over the past two years."

"If a guy appears to be homeless and he keeps coming in with lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, bicycles and golf clubs, wouldn't you be suspicious?" asks Brian, who adds, "and how many people know the serial numbers to anything?"

Subsequent to what he was first told by police, Brian has since been advised by the District Attorney's Office that he might yet be able to get his bike back if he is willing to take civil action in small claims court.

But that might be throwing good money after bad.

What would make this a better world for the good guys, Brian believes, is requiring more, not less, of pawnshops. Put more of an onus on them to make sure they aren't receiving stolen goods. At the very least, don't decrease the waiting period.

He has set up a Web site as a vehicle for just such a crusade: www.freeridecycles.com.

Log in and you'll find, in addition to a quite entertaining rundown of the whole story of Brian losing his bike, a form letter you can send to your legislator demanding better pawnshop laws.

"Maybe we can make a difference," he says.

Until then, he is reduced to sardonically observe: "If you aren't a pawnbroker in Utah you may just be in the wrong business."

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Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.