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Clearwater police collect 458 guns during buyback event

 
Published Dec. 13, 2015

CLEARWATER — The cars lined up 30 minutes before the gun buyback event was scheduled to begin Saturday morning.

Officers collected handguns and rifles, some of them old and rusted and others in good working condition. They also accepted BB or pellet guns, homemade guns constructed of wood and duct tape, and even a potato gun.

Within five hours, Clearwater police had collected 458 guns, more than double the number of weapons turned in during the agency's last buyback event in 2011.

Residents turned in their unwanted weapons in exchange for Walmart gift cards. In all, officers gave out $37,850 worth of them on Saturday.

"We were very pleasantly surprised at the numbers," Clearwater police spokesman Rob Shaw said.

As residents pulled into the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex at 2450 Drew St., officers approached the cars to inspect the guns and make sure they weren't loaded.

Handgun owners and rifle owners received $50 and $100 gift cards, respectively. People who turned in other weapons, such as BB guns, homemade guns, and the potato gun, did not get gift cards and were not included in the final 458 total.

Guns were being dropped off in such quick succession that a city employee had to visit a Walmart for more gift cards several times, police said.

One man turned in six guns and declined to take any money. Another brought in an old shotgun and said he hadn't used it in 30 years.

"That's the kind of thing it's about," Shaw said. "Taking these guns that are totally unwanted by their owners and being able to get rid of them safely."

Contact Laura C. Morel at lmorel@tampabay.com. Follow @lauracmorel.