Michigan City Guns for Gift Cards

[Jubbie]

Gun exchange exceeds expectations

MICHIGAN CITY | Gift cards for guns were given out so rapidly, police in Michigan City had to go to Walmart to reload.
Money to purchase more $50 gift cards ran out in just one hour. Police going in figured they had enough gift cards to last two days.
"We exceeded our expectations completely," Michigan City Police Sgt. Chris Yagelski said.
The "More Buck for the Bang" program was supposed to begin at 10 a.m. but people lining up early outside the police station with guns to exchange for extra spending cash forced police to open the doors 30 minutes sooner.
When the dust settled, a total of 94 handguns, shotguns, rifles and BB guns were collected.
In comparison, about 50 guns in a 48-hour period were turned in under a similar gift exchange program last year.
Yagelski said the first 64 gift cards provided totally by Walmart were given out almost right away.
Police department funds were scraped together to purchase another 30 gift cards -- which quickly vanished, too.
"It was amazing," Yagelski said.
Guns ranged from an old military-style rifle, a rusted sawed-off shotgun and derringer often carried by women in their purses were turned in.
Just one of the guns had to be disarmed.
The handguns will go into a bulletproof glass case now containing more than 300 firearms confiscated in recent years in drug raids and other crime scenes. The case is on display in the police station lobby to make a visual impact about the dangers of guns.
Michigan City Police Chief Ben Neitzel said the main thrust of the exchange program is to reduce the number of guns in homes for burglars and thieves to steal.
Stolen firearms -- when exchanged for drugs -- many times end up on the streets, he said.
Yagelski said he believes the economy had something to do with the huge response.
"Fifty dollars worth of groceries or Christmas shopping is something that people are digging in their closets for guns saying, 'I don't need that anymore,'" Yagelski said.

For the sake of my own happiness I'm just going to think that all the guns turned in were found in dark alleys. The people turning them in were all aware the firearms were involved in crimes. At least they were smart enough to turn them in for money instead of to the police station when they found them, they get money this way. Yes this paragraph is all BS, just don't like the idea of someone giving up a firearm.

I am glad the person whose gun had to be unloaded turned in their gun. That was just stupid.

 

[theweakerbrother]

Can we stand in line and buy them for 60 dollars?

Also, how do you "disarm" a gun?

 

[jeremy]

How about we stand on the corner of the block and buy them for $60 cash...

 

[bigiron]

i almost couldn't believe it....

Gun exchange exceeds expectations



is it a sign of the times or do people just have old junk guns they are willing to trade in for a 50 dollar walmart gift card? i couldn't believe it at first although these programs have been around forever. what really struck me funny was the police cheifs response at the end talking about taking guns out of homes so theives won't get them. maybe if we had more responsible gun owners theives wouldn't be breaking into homes? hopefully they all went to walmart and purchased a new shotgun with their 50 dollars.

 

[esrice]

They paid out $4,700 in gift cards, and got 94 old rusted guns in return?

What a great program!

 

[cce1302]

bb guns too? wow. Maybe I'll round up my kids' cap guns and turn them in.

 

[clt46910]

How many old BB guns you seen at garage or yard sales from ten to a couple buck? Most of them don't really work very good, either worn out or not taken care of.

Now it seems I should buy them up and turn them in for sixty bucks...LOL Might be a deal there.

 

[esrice]

bb guns too?

I didn't even catch that.

Step 1: Go to Walmart, buy $20 BB gun.
Step 2: Turn it in for $50 gift card.
Step 3. Go back to Walmart, buy groceries.

I'd like to see their faces when you turn it in, still in the plastic packaging! lol

 

[cce1302]

I didn't even catch that.

Step 1: Go to Walmart, buy $20 BB gun.
Step 2: Turn it in for $50 gift card.
Step 3. Go back to Walmart, buy 2 bb guns and $10 worth of groceries.
Step 4. Turn them in for 2 $50 gift cards.
Step 5. Go back to walmart, buy 5 bb guns.
Step 6. Turn them in for 5 $50 gift cards.
Step 7. go back to walmart, buy 12 bb guns and $10 worth of groceries.
Step 8. Turn them in for 12 $50 gift cards.

Need I continue?

I'd like to see their faces when you turn it in, still in the plastic packaging! lol

Fixed that for you.

 

[spartan933]

They said that they are displaying these in a glass case in their department HQ. Can an INGoer can go take a photograph of them to get an idea of what the PD is talking about and to get an idea of the quality of firearms being turned in.

 

[jeremy]

Please do and post that pic!

 

[Serial Crusher]

Well if theives are breaking into homes and getting guns, it is obviously the guns and not the theives that are the problem. That is an entirely logical conclusion

 

[esrice]

Well if theives are breaking into homes and getting guns, it is obviously the guns and not the theives that are the problem. That is an entirely logical conclusion

Maybe they should sponsor a turn-in program for Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys too.

 

[Serial Crusher]

 

[2cool9031]

Just stand across the street with a big sign....PAYING $60.00 FOR GUNS HERE!!

 

[ihateiraq]

Just stand across the street with a big sign....PAYING $60.00 FOR GUNS HERE!!

add to that sign: they are giving you walmart gift cards. walmart does not sell crack.

 

[XDs4me]

Michigan City PD use to auction off confiscated guns. My buddy got an AR years ago for $175.00 Now they will give you $50 for a BB gun

 

[cbop]

If it is the chief's contention is that these guns are being stolen from homes, shouldn't they be returned to the owner rather than being displayed in a case? Wouldn't it suck if the owner saw the gun that was stolen from his home in the case and charged the MCPD with possession of stolen property

 

[2cool9031]

Why not trade in your old broken, rusty BB gun ...get the gift card and go to Walmart and buy a new one.

 

[jeremy]

If it is the chief's contention is that these guns are being stolen from homes, shouldn't they be returned to the owner rather than being displayed in a case? Wouldn't it suck if the owner saw the gun that was stolen from his home in the case and charged the MCPD with possession of stolen property

Now that would be classic!