Wal-Mart makes me mad!!!

[Ivy Mike]

http://www.cityofnorthlasvegas.com/DynamicContent/NewsEntry.cfm?NewsEntryID=1223

City of North Las Vegas Police Department "Gun Turn In" Program

The North Las Vegas Police Department will hold its first "Gun Turn In Program", on Saturday, December 4, 2004, beginning at 10:00 a.m., in the Wal-Mart parking lot at 1807 W. Craig Road, North Las Vegas, Nevada.

The purpose of this program is to provide an incentive for individuals to turn in any firearm to the police. Removing as many firearms as possible from the streets will help make our community a safer place in which to live, work and play. We hope to quell residents' possible fear of the police by offering total anonymity and identification will not be requested to receive a gift certificate. No questions will be asked. Active and/or retired public safety officers will not be allowed to turn in handguns.

The City of North Las Vegas Police Department is offering an incentive for turning in their firearms: a Wal-Mart $50.00 gift certificate for each handgun and a Wal-Mart $100.00 gift certificate for each rifle presented. A resident who turns in a pellet/BB gun will receive a Wal-Mart $10.00 gift certificate. Only operational guns (which will be determined by the North Las Vegas Police Department) will qualify for a gift certificate. We feel, due to the approaching holiday season, the certificate will be used to immediately purchase gifts and, thereby, benefit both the citizens and businesses of our community.

All received guns will first be checked to see if they are stolen or if they have possibly been used in a crime. Two detectives will be at the event and will take custody of any stolen or wanted guns. The detectives will conduct follow up investigations and reports. A letter will be sent to the owner of any stolen gun and it will be kept in our evidence vault for six months, per policy. If there is no response from the owner of the stolen gun after six months, the gun will be destroyed.

A police report will be written for all other received guns that return with no wants. These guns will be transported and booked into evidence at the North Las Vegas Police Department. All of these guns will soon after be destroyed.

Residents who want to participate in the "Gun Turn In Program" are requested to secure their unloaded gun in the trunk or other secure container in their vehicle when they come to the event. Residents will be met by a uniformed police officer in the Wal-Mart parking lot and will take custody of the gun from the resident.


The fact that this Wal-Mart has chosen to support something like this makes me consider avoiding that store (and possibly all others) in the future. Too bad as it is really close to my house.
I know nobody is forcing anyone to turn guns in, but still....grrrrr

 

[c_yeager]

I think one's animosity would be better directed at the city that is using your tax dollars to conduct this program rather than the company that is using their own money to accomodate them.

 

[Stickjockey]

Are you kidding? What an opportunity! Cruise down there with a fistfull of hundreds and fifties, and start looking around. You never know what you're going to find. Offer $75 for each handgun and $150 for each rifle, then make a mint selling them for true market value! Those that you don't want to keep, that is.

 

[wmenorr67]

I would like to know how they are going to test the guns to determine if they are operational. Could be interesting. If the gun has to be operational to qualify for a gift certificate are the going to register everything that comes in with a serial number and take down names and addresses to mail out the certificates after testing?

 

[Rabid Rabbit]

I wish they'd run that program in my town. I have a couple of rusty pieces of junk that various relatives have given me. Rusty enfield missing a bolt, a revolver that has a cylinder that spins after it is cocked etc... I'd love to get rid of the junk. take the cash and buy a Remington shotgun and walk buy the police on the way to my car.

 

[DT Guy]

There's nothing wrong with these gun turn-ins...it's actually a good way to dispose of unwanted guns that probably aren't being stored securely anyway.

Reduce crime? HA!! But they do let grandma get rid of granpa's old double-barrel shotgun that's been standing in the closet waiting to get stolen by a gang member.


Larry

 

[Diggler]

Can't you find any Mosin-Nagents for $59, and make $41 a piece?

 

[possenti]

"offering total anonymity and identification will not be requested"

Police to mother of a murder victim:
"Ma'am, we've found the weapon that was used to murder your son, but the suspect got away. All we know is that he just spent $100 that we gave him at Wal-Mart. At least we got the evil gun off the street, so the public is now safer."

 

[ID_shooting]

These people make me sick.

OTOH, go buy a trunk load of MN 91/30s for $50.00 each and double your $$, hmmmmm

 

[griz]

One of our local TV stations showed a guy bringing in a junk revolver frame to a buy back program. It might have had a barrel but no grips or cylinder were on it. They paid him. I guess that kind of thing is the reason for the "operational check".

But I don't see why you are mad at Wal Mart. Admittedly it's in their parking lot, but nothing in the article said that Wal Mart was providing the gift certificates. Sounds like the city (of course that means taxpayer) is footing the bill.

 

[Rexrider]

I always wonder how many gang bangers/bank robbers/drug dealers hand in their illegally aquired AK's with da switch (or any other firearm for that matter).

or...

just regular people who hand in an old legal gun they have no use for and are looking at getting a few bucks for it.

The only reason I still have my Jennings .22 is in case one of these buy-back programs show up in my area. $50?....LOL I would break even.

If that never happens then the only thing left for me to do with the Jennings is to will it to my best friend as a last way to pi$$ him off.

As Griz pointed out...It's Walmart's parking lot, they can do what they want with it. Personally, I would be more upset about the waste of tax money.

On a side note: The Jennings was purchased in the early phase of my hobbie years ago. It was a moment of weakness when I knew much less than I do now. I shamefully hide it in the misc. storage bin and intend never to let it see the light of day (or at least never be seen with it in the light of day).

 

[auschip]

I thought guns were strictly forbidden in North LV. You mean people are being asked to put guns in their vehicle and go to NLV and break the law?

North Las Vegas
9.32.080 Deadly weapon prohibited in vehicle--Exceptions.
It is unlawful for any person to have in his possession in any automobile, truck, motorcycle, or any other type of vehicle any dangerous or deadly weapon, but this restriction shall not be deemed to prohibit the carrying of ordinary tools or equipment carried in good faith for uses of honest work, trade or business, or for the purpose of legitimate sport or recreation.

 

[DigMe]

I would like to know how they are going to test the guns to determine if they are operational. Could be interesting.

I was thinking the same thing:

Police Officer: "Ok we'll just dryfire this now to make sure it works..."

BOOOM!!!

Police Officer: "Oh...sorry sir...would you like a band-aid?"

brad cook

 

[DragonFire]

They have a similar program here in Western NY that runs almost every year, though Walmart isn't part of it. They give cash for turned in guns - no questions asked.

From what I hear they get mostly old guns left when "grandpa" died, and worn out guns (lots of times in pieces) that someone's had laying around. They also get a few guns "good" people had acquired illegally for protection, that they now feel guilty about owning, and very few guns turned in by bad guys trying to turn over a new leaf. I guess they even get a couple of guns turned in my parents who've found their kids' gun.

Yeah, it would be better if the guns could be used to close some unsolved crimes, but the intent is to get as many illegal guns off the street as they can.

I don't see this program in any way as being anti-gun. I also don't see this as being terribly affect either, as only a few dozen guns are turned in locally each year.

 

[Trigger]

Yea, buy a junk .22 for $50, trade it in for the $100 and with the profit go to Walmarts gun counter and buy $50 worth of ammo for the good guns. LOL

Or if you have enough junk .22 take the profit and buy something really nice.

Then call the newspaper up and offer an interview about how the turn in worked out and show off your new purchases.

"I'm in favor of the turn in because I was able to aquire a new (name your firearm) by turning in all the junk that jammed liek crazy. And I bought 500 rounds of ammo as well."

**better yet**

"Yea, my kid was tired of the bb gun so we traded it in with a couple of junk rifles that didn't work but passed inspection and went in and bought him/her a brand new Ruger 10/22!"

LOL

 

[Ivy Mike]

I thought about going down with a handful of cash, but unfortuneatly, I'm a bit strapped at the moment. I could probably swing one or two saving purchases though.

To those who said I should buy a load of $60 Mosin-Nagants...SHAME ON YOU! They are going to destroy these rifles. While I'm sure there are thousands of them around (hence the low price tags) it would be a shame to knowingly destroy a good firearm. Especially a mil-surp that represents such a large part of history.
Don't feel too bad though...I thought about the MN idea too. I would love to trade in 4 or so and then take the gift cards in and buy a Mini-14 I've had my eye on.

My way of thinking is that I shouldn't blame the police (they just do what they are ordered to by higher-ups) I'd blame Wal-Mart for paying people to give up valuble means of defense. Imagine all the valuble sporting and collectable pieces that will be destroyed. I keep envisioning 1903's and mum-intact Arisaka's going into a furnace

 

[auschip]

I'd blame Wal-Mart for paying people to give up valuble means of defense.

Walmart doesn't give anything away, I imagine the city bought the gift certificates from them. I also know that the Walmart at that locations sells Firearms, and a couple of them can be had for less then $100.

 

[musher]

I see some deficiencies in the logic here.

First,

We hope to quell residents' possible fear of the police by offering total anonymity and identification will not be requested to receive a gift certificate. No questions will be asked. Active and/or retired public safety officers will not be allowed to turn in handguns

Now if the person turning in the gun is anonymous, then how do they tell if they are an active or retired public safety officer?

Second

Removing as many firearms as possible from the streets will help make our community a safer place in which to live, work and play.
...
The City of North Las Vegas Police Department is offering an incentive for turning in their firearms: a Wal-Mart $50.00 gift certificate for each handgun and a Wal-Mart $100.00 gift certificate for each rifle presented.

Since handguns far and away represent the biggest proportion of firearms used in crime, wouldn't you want to offer more for a handgun than a rifle if you wanted to get the most 'bang for your crime reduction buck'?

 

[Burt Blade]

Perhaps we should look at these events as an opportunity to pass out some of Oleg's stuff. Or you can ask some folks there,

"Can you explain something to me? Now that the person over there is unarmed, how is he safer? What if the next person he meets says 'Give me that gift certificate!' or 'Remove your pants and lie down!'"

 

[Double Maduro]

Seems to me that wally world is profiting from this, if not one of the movers and shakers.

They made a deal with the powers that be to let them use the parking lot if they would issue gift certificates to ww.

Just one more reason not to shop at wally world.

DM

 

[Jim K]

"... total anonymity, and identification will not be requested... no questions will be asked... All received guns will first be checked to see if they are stolen or if they have possibly been used in a crime...."

Anyone see a problem here? Either they are lying and they will not grant anonymity, or they are going to violate their oaths of office. If the police find a gun that has been used in a crime and don't/won't question or arrest the person possessing it, they are guilty of misfeasance of office and dereliction of duty. Period. Police who cover up crimes are accessories after the fact to those crimes and should be arrested themselves and dismissed from the force.

And why: "Active and/or retired public safety officers will not be allowed to turn in handguns...." Are they saying that police will steal guns, maybe from evidence lockers, and turn them in? Or are they saying that police would turn in their department issue weapons for $50?

Any way you look at that announcement, it comes out that the police in North Las Vegas are a bunch of crooks who don't even trust themselves. Some police force.

Jim

 

[DelayedReaction]

Out of curiosity, where could I pick up a milsurp Mosin-Nagant for $60? I've always thought they would make a nice rifle to start off with.

 

[JohnKSa]

Get a SGN and look through the ads from the big importers. Sometimes they'll have cracked stock specials in cruddy condition for next to nothing. The idea is that you buy a large batch of them for parts and or to try to cobble together a couple of good ones from the crate.

I'll bet that keeping a good supply of those on hand for buybacks would really pay off. You could probably quadruple or at least double your money with no problem. And you could pick something with no collectors value to assuage your conscience.

On a similar note--I remember a time in the not too distant past where you could buy new Chinese mfctr SKS rifles for less than $60 retail--a pawn shop was selling them in the early 1990s for $59.95. I wish I'd bought a big batch of those and put them into storage. Coulda probably got them for around $50 apiece in quantity...

 

[Ivy Mike]

I posted this in another firearms forum

Well, the turn-in was yesterday and apparently VERY succesful (for the police) There were cars backed up around the parking lot of the shopping center (nearly a mile). Festivities started at 10:00AM and ended at 4:00 although they quit taking guns at around 3:00. I was envisioning classic rifles being pitched into the crusher.
bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang *PING*...*CRUUUUNCH*

I stood around for a while and watched them wheel shopping carts full of long guns and handguns into vans. I saw several AR's (couldn't get close enough to see manufacturer) and AKs as well as shotguns and various other long arms. Lots of lever actions...more than I expected to see. Couldn't make out the pistols other than autoloader or revolver. I did make out a few Ruger Mk2s (I think) The shape is fairly distinctive.

I actually managed to scrounge up a little cash. I stood on a corner in the parking lot and asked people as they crept by if they had any revolvers (I've been toying with the idea of a wheel gun) they wanted to make a few bucks more on. Actually saw an old Smith Model 19, but it was in sad shape with rust all over and odd looking hair width lines down the barrel (possible cracks I thought)
Eventually, a cop rolled up and asked me what I was doing. I responded that I was making sure that the 2nd Amendment wasn't being violated. He didn't like that and asked again. I responded that I was just curious and was trying to puchase a revolver. I was then told it was illegal to do so...
I replied that it was not as I was of legal age and had no criminal record. I even produced my DL and blue cards to show age and current firearms ownership. I was told to move along or threatened with a loitering charge. I obliged and got in my car and left. I never did manage to secure a new six shooter although I probably could have if I hadn't been interupted.

All in all, it was a rather somber event. I spoke to a few people who had turned guns in. Most were there to get rid of old junk pieces for a bit of a profit. Still others were turning in grandpas collection and one was an anti. I spoke with her and got the usual guns only hurt people. I think I kinda called her on her line as I pointed out ALL these cars have guns in them and no one seems to be getting hurt. I also asked her if shed ever heard of a gun being convicted of murder. She got mad and walked into Wally world to spend her new $100 gift card.

 

[Solo]

Obviously some people feel a $100 dollar coffeemaker is worth more than their personal security. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: