Police Collect Guns in Falls

People trickled into the Falls Township police station Saturday for the township’s first gun buyback in recent memory.

While the department said they would pay up to $200 for some weapons, most guns that were turned in were worth between $10 (for broken guns) and $50.

A few dozen handguns and rifles were collected during the event, which ran from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Falls officers collected the guns and secured them. Other police officials ran their serial numbers through a database, but did not collect the names of people who turned in guns.

Lt. Hank Ward said that by getting the guns off the streets there will be no chance they can be used in crime.

Anthony Jones traveled to the Falls event from Philadelphia to turn in several guns.

“When my father passed in March, I found the guns, but I got my own,” he said.

A New Jersey man, who did not wish to have his name published, turned in a gun from a deceased family member. He said he was happy to get $25 for the old gun.

Near the entrance to the gun buyback, a group of people were there looking to buy long guns. Long guns can be purchased without a federal background check. Handguns purchasers, however, must go through a federal background check.

John Buczek of Levittown was among the group looking to purchase long guns. He said he is a gun hobbies and is interested in the stories behind the historic firearms.

At the most recent Bensalem Township gun buyback event, Buczek said he purchased an antique long gun from 1886 for a small amount of money. The gun turned out to be worth $1,200 when he got it appraised.

Police seems to have no problems with the group outside the station on busy Lincoln Highway.

Former Falls officer Max McClintic assisted in the event and appraised the worth of the turned-in guns, many of which were broken.

The weapons will be dismantled and melted down.

Township supervisors approved up to $25,000 in summer to be spent on the gun buyback. Police estimated about $4,000 will be spend on overtime costs.