The Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) collected 124 guns, including an illegal, sawed-off shotgun, at its first gun buyback event on Saturday.
BSO, along with Broward Crime Stoppers and the City of Pompano Beach, hosted the buyback at the E. Pat Larkins Center in Pompano Beach.
"In BSO jurisdictions, since the beginning of this year, we've had around 30 firearms stolen in residential burglaries," Sheriff Scott Israel said in a statement. "Instead of having guns laying around the house where anyone can get to them, we want gun owners to make safety paramount. If they just don't want them anymore, they can turn them in at our gun buyback. No questions asked."
Miami Beach Holds First Ever Gun Buyback
Gun owners dropped off rifles, shotguns, handguns and revolvers in exchange for almost $9,000 in Walmart gift cards. The firearms were evaluated by a range master who awarded up to $100 in gift cards for each gun.
All the firearms collected will be destroyed.
"We may not ever know how many crimes we've prevented with this event, but we know there won't ever be a funeral in Pompano Beach because of one of the guns we collected today," Sheriff Scott Israel said.
Broward Crime Stoppers awarded $10,000 to BSO and $5,000 to the Miramar Police Department $5,00 in support of the buyback program.
To learn about upcoming buyback events, call 954-831-8902.
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Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida