District Attorney's Office has 800 guns destroyed

[WhiteFeather]

Nice to know that illegal transfer of firearms is over looked by DA if its for a good cause for example gun buy backs with no questions asked

http://www.timesleader.com/news/2009...ms_ed_ART.html

District Attorney's Office has 800 guns destroyed

WILKES-BARRE TWP. – Luzerne County Detective Dan Beky picked up a sawed-off shotgun from a pile of firearms to illustrate the types of weapons law enforcement authorities are up against.


“I’m not saying this particular weapon was used in a crime,” Beky said. “But it’s illegal to modify any firearm such as this.”

The modified shotgun was among 800 firearms destroyed Wednesday by the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office at Allan Industries Recyclers.

Employees at Allan Industries had to shear rifles and shotguns three times, and handguns twice, under supervision by Beky and county Lt. Detective Dan Yursha.

Yursha said barrels on shotguns and rifles had to be sheared in a certain way to prevent the barrels from being welded together.

He estimated 75 percent of the firearms that were destroyed were purchased by the district attorney’s office through the gun buyback program that was held several times during 2004. The other 25 percent of the guns, Yursha believed, were forfeited or used in crimes.

Yursha and Beky hauled the firearms to Allan Industries in a pickup, and were followed by county Lt. Detective Larry Fabian in another vehicle.

The weight of the firearms prior to being destroyed was 1,200 pounds, Yursha said.

“We’ve done this a few times for the district attorney’s office,” said John D. Allan of Allan Industries. “These guns will be sheared, recycled and end up as something else.”

First Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Tokach said the gun-buyback program held at various locations was sponsored by state grants obtained by state representatives Todd Eachus, D-Butler Township, and John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke.

“We’re hoping to do the gun-buyback program again,” Tokach said. “It is a successful program to get the guns off the street.”

The district attorney’s office held five gun-buyback programs during 2004 using a $10,000 grant.

Gun owners who surrendered unwanted firearms received gift certificates – $75 for handguns and $50 for shotguns and rifles.

[bpvet]

OMG. If these guns will be recycled and end up as something else how am I supposed to sleep at night? My toaster may kill me. I'll be suspicious of everything in my house made out of those evil things.

[gf45acp]

I sure hope that someone checked to see if any where loaded!

[VariableFeedback]

Let's ignore the fact that a county that is probably having financial difficulties at present is spending money to destroy an asset that could be sold for a profit, and consider the quality of the reporter's work:

The weight of the firearms prior to being destroyed was 1,200 pounds, Yursha said.

And what exactly was the weight of the firearms after being destroyed? Was matter destroyed?

[dc dalton]

And what exactly was the weight of the firearms after being destroyed? Was matter destroyed?

well of course you have to take into the saw blade cuts and how much of the weight was turned into dust ........ NOT!

Damn that's funny!

[adymond]

well of course you have to take into the saw blade cuts and how much of the weight was turned into dust ........ NOT!

Damn that's funny!

They may have just incenerated the stocks and any non-metal parts.

[larry0071]

Who in their right mind turns in a pistol for a $75 gift certificate or a rifle/shotgun for $50....thats nutz. And destroying them? Come on now! Like mentioned above... why not sale them to law abiding citizens and get them back out as legally owned guns used for sporting. The whole thing sucks, because everyone involved was standing there looking at our national heritage and pieces of history and they were thinking to themselves that the only way to deal with these is to chop them up. They see each of them as some satan inspired death machine. It makes me sad to think that folks feel that the machine called a Firearm is somehow an evil thing in and of itself.

Damn it, I'm so mad... I'm going to go run someone over with my truck. You all better hope they dont start banning those evil trucks soon!

[PureRockFury]

We should keep each other apprised to when another of these will be held. Get to the "sellers" before they enter the building and offer them $75 cash for rifles (assuming they're worth it)!

[Seventy4Blazer]

collected in 2004... destroyed in 2009?!?!? WTF?

if you are going to "fight a cause" then FIGHT IT! dont just talk about it...

[Seventy4Blazer]

Who in their right mind turns in a pistol for a $75 gift certificate or a rifle/shotgun for $50....

someone who commited a crime with one and wants it destroyed and turned in so they cant get in trouble...