Sheriff's deputies examine weapons at Compton gun exchange. (Los Angeles Times / December 29, 2009)
COMPTON -- One man walked away with $5,800 in gift cards at Compton's annual "Gift Cards for Guns" exchange Tuesday.
It was a busy day for Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in Compton who were hoping to reduce crime by getting guns off the streets. Dozens of people drove up, handed in a handgun or two, and drove away with $100 gift cards from Ralph's grocery stores.
But one man surprised everyone when he unloaded 58 guns from the trunk of his car. And, as promised, there were no questions asked. After all, the event was designed to take the weapons out of circulation in a city plagued by gun violence in exchange for some free groceries.
Officials say the unidentified man turned in dozens of small handguns and even some assault-type rifles. But, Sheriff's deputies said they were happy to get the guns off the streets no matter how they got them.
"That should feed someone for a year or two," said sheriff's Lt. Anthony Lucia. "There were a lot of the kind of weapons used in robberies. We don't know his identity. We don't know if he is gun dealer or what but, that is 58 guns off the street."
The Los Angeles County sheriff's office says it collected more than 5,300 guns from people participating in its gifts-for-guns program - its highest mark ever.
Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore says the weapons collection in 2009 exceeded the combined amount from the first four years of the program.
He says people who turned in their guns received a combined 8,100 gift cards worth about $428,000. He says the majority of the people asked for grocery store vouchers so they could buy food.
Whitmore says there were about 2,500 handguns, 1,900 rifles, 770 shotguns and 1,300 assault weapons.
It was a busy day for Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in Compton who were hoping to reduce crime by getting guns off the streets. Dozens of people drove up, handed in a handgun or two, and drove away with $100 gift cards from Ralph's grocery stores.
But one man surprised everyone when he unloaded 58 guns from the trunk of his car. And, as promised, there were no questions asked. After all, the event was designed to take the weapons out of circulation in a city plagued by gun violence in exchange for some free groceries.
Officials say the unidentified man turned in dozens of small handguns and even some assault-type rifles. But, Sheriff's deputies said they were happy to get the guns off the streets no matter how they got them.
"That should feed someone for a year or two," said sheriff's Lt. Anthony Lucia. "There were a lot of the kind of weapons used in robberies. We don't know his identity. We don't know if he is gun dealer or what but, that is 58 guns off the street."
The Los Angeles County sheriff's office says it collected more than 5,300 guns from people participating in its gifts-for-guns program - its highest mark ever.
Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore says the weapons collection in 2009 exceeded the combined amount from the first four years of the program.
He says people who turned in their guns received a combined 8,100 gift cards worth about $428,000. He says the majority of the people asked for grocery store vouchers so they could buy food.
Whitmore says there were about 2,500 handguns, 1,900 rifles, 770 shotguns and 1,300 assault weapons.
