Posted on 05/05/2013 6:41:57 AM PDT by marktwain
Numerous private buyers found that the police set up rendered the sit with sign strategy unproductive.
At the gun turn in in Phoenix, the line of cars quickly became several blocks long. A private buyer examines guns for sale while others start to walk the line.
The turn in event rapidly assumed the ambiance of a street festival. Private buyers walked the line of cars, politely asking people if they were willing to take cash for their guns.
This Smith & Wesson model 19 was in 95% condition. The private buyer said that he paid $120. One was recently sold on Auction Arms for over $500.
Typical guns being turned in: The old double on the right is missing its foreend, the stock is badly cracked, and the barrels rusted. The old .22 single shot has not been taken care of. The pump shotgun on the left has a badly cracked stock. Still, a private buyer was willing to pay a hundred dollars in the hopes of restoring it. This turn in customer was typical of 70% of those bringing in guns. They had good guns at home but were willing to get rid of older, marginal guns for the $100 gift cards. About 20% of those turning in guns were ideologically motivated, and simply wanted to turn the guns into police rather than anyone else. Few cared what the police did with the guns.
Perhaps 10% simply wanted to get rid of guns in the house, and thought the turn in would be convenient.
Most of the private buyers that I talked to were Second Amendment constitutional rights activists, but a few were simply looking for good deals.
There appeared to be over a hundred private buyers at the three locations.
More later.
©2013 by Dean Weingarten Permission to share granted as long as this notice is included.
Ha haaaaa!!! It turned into a drive-by gun show. I love it.
I predict it won’t be long before the police will outlaw anyone making offers to buy the guns that police are hoping to get turned in.
Either that or harassment of the buyers.
” It turned into a drive-by gun show. I love it.”
If the smartest people in the room have their way, this sale could not have happened because they would have closed the “gun show loophole”. All guns would have gone to the police, and it would have cost the pubic even more. Every gun purchased by a private buyer saved the public $100.
The state of Arizona just passed a law requiring that all guns gathered by state and local governments be sold rather than destroyed. The money will be added to the government coffers.
Arizona Sanity: Governor Brewer signs two bills Protecting Second Amendment rights
http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/04/arizona-sanity-governor-brewer-signs.html
I am still looking forward to a major gun “swap meet”, since the Pinetop-Lakeside “no dealer gun show” event disappointed a lot of people who couldn’t get there because the roads were blocked by an unexpected snowstorm.
Indications were that it would have been very crowded, far more than the capacity of their venue.
Somebody could right now make a whole lot of money quickly setting up one of those.
The link is to an editing page in stead of the article.
Here is the correct link:
http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/05/phoenix-gun-turn-in-buyback-part-2.html
My apologies. I have asked the moderators to correct the mistake.
The only problem with this is you could be in possession of stolen property the minute you buy the gun. And there is no way to check it without someone going to jail if the gun is stolen, whether the seller knows it is or not.
“The only problem with this is you could be in possession of stolen property the minute you buy the gun. And there is no way to check it without someone going to jail if the gun is stolen, whether the seller knows it is or not.”
I’m wondering if you could request a check from the police based on serial and model number after you made the purchase, and simply turn over any gun found to be stolen?
Charges for possession of stolen property require knowledge of the likelihood that the property is stolen. There may be exceptions, but I do not know of them.
When guns are checked at these event, well less than 1% turn out to be stolen. If you find out that you have inadvertently purchased a stolen firearm, the only likely action is that you will be required to return it to the owner it was stolen from.
“If you find out that you have inadvertently purchased a stolen firearm, the only likely action is that you will be required to return it to the owner it was stolen from.”
Good luck. I hope your District Attorney’s name isn’t Nifong. Let’s hope you’re not the one the powers that be decide to make an example of for why people shouldn’t buy guns at the “buy back” programs.
Alamaba Criminal Code for receiving stolen property:
(a) A person commits the crime of receiving stolen property if he intentionally receives, retains or disposes of stolen property knowing that it has been stolen or having reasonable grounds to believe it has been stolen, unless the property is received, retained or disposed of with intent to restore it to the owner.
The “or reasonable grounds” leaves a pretty good bit of leeway for an over zealous prosecutor.
Can you rob a bank and then turn the money over when it looks like you might get caught? The way it’s going to be run most likely is over the radio. I guarantee you when the sargeant hears that an officer has run the serial number on a stolen firearm and no arrrest was made he’s going to have a lot of questions for that officer.
“I guarantee you when the sargeant hears that an officer has run the serial number on a stolen firearm and no arrrest was made he’s going to have a lot of questions for that officer.”
I have never heard of a prosecution such as you are describing. Have you an article somewhere to show that it has happened?
I am not saying that it is impossible, but I believe such prosecutions to be extremely rare, and as you suggest, politically motivated.
If a prosecutor has decided to prosecute you, no matter what, he can find a way. The average person commits three felonies a day, whether they want to or not.
No, I have not heard of a prosecution because no officer would be dumb enough to do it. I’m also not necessarily saying it would happen. I’m just pointing out the possiblity in today’s political climate. If you were prosecuted, no matter what the verdict, you’re going to end up broke. That was the my only point.
Your last sentence is also my belief and part of the reason for my post.
I think we understand the current situation fairly well. Thanks for commenting.
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