Deputies set to exchange gift cards to get guns off the street
Lori Consalvo, Staff Writer
Created: 04/02/2009 07:56:41 PM PDT
Can a $100 gift card stop violence?
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department contends it can by sponsoring "Gifts for Guns."
The program allows people to safely and anonymously turn in a firearm for a gift card, while supplies last.
Sheriff's deputies from the Walnut/Diamond Bar station today and Saturday will collect weapons in the Rowland Heights Albertsons parking lot, 19725 Colima Road.
The deputies will be there from 2 to 8 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
Everyone is welcome, and there are no residence restrictions.
"It should be a nice day," said sheriff's Lt. John Saleeby with the Walnut/Diamond Bar station. "We're looking forward to receiving a bunch of weapons off the street."
Since the program started in March at other sheriff's stations, deputies have already received 652 guns and one grenade.
"It's incentive and people respond to incentives, especially in these tough economic times," Saleeby said.
A firearm that does not work can be exchanged for a $50 gift card. Working firearms are worth a $100 card and an assault weapon can be exchanged for a $200 card, according to a sheriff's news release.
The gift cards can be used at stores such as Target, Wal-Mart, Food-4-Less and Ralphs.
Officials will not accept explosives or gun casings, Saleeby said.
Gift cards will not be given for BB, pellet or air guns as well as ammunition.
Gifts for Guns collection sites will be set up until the end of May throughout Los Angeles County.
The San Dimas sheriff's station will host an exchange event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 25.
The weapons will be stored at sheriff's stations until the program is done.
Then they will be processed and destroyed.
Sheriff Lee Baca initiated the Gifts for Guns program in 2005. Since then, more than 3,000 guns and firearms have been exchanged for gift cards.
