Gas has become so expensive in California that Sacramento police offered $50 gift cards for fuel as part of a “gas for guns” buyback program that generated an overwhelming response from the public.
The Sacramento Police Department announced on its Facebook page that it managed to get 134 guns off the streets on Saturday as residents were offered the chance to turn in the weapons “with no questions asked and no identification required.”
More than 100 people were given $50 gas gift cards as part of the “Gas for Guns Buyback” plan — a welcome relief for motorists in the Golden State, where the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded stood at $6.07.
The police department ran out of gas gift cards within 45 minutes of an event that was originally slated to last around five hours, KTXL-TV reported.
Cops said they recovered one assault weapon, several components for “ghost guns,” and “multiple other illegally configured firearms.”
Many residents turned in firearms due to “a lack of experience” with guns as well as a “lack of knowledge of the legality of the firearms,” officials said.
They also cited “an inability to safely store the firearms as the main reasons for participating in the exchange.”
“As a department we will continue to use innovative ideas to increase the safety of our community,” said Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester.
“I truly believe violent crime prevention is a shared responsibility and today’s overwhelming community participation is evidence of the success we can achieve together.”
California gas prices are the highest in the nation. At some gas stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco, the price of a gallon of fuel exceeds $7.
Tight supply coupled with soaring demand have sent energy prices skyrocketing in recent months. Demand is expected to increase even further as Americans take to the roads during the warm weather seasons.
An estimated 34.9 million Americans are expected to make trips by car of 50 or more miles for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend — an increase of 4.6% compared to last year.
The US crude oil benchmark hit $111 per barrel on Monday morning. Surging fuel costs are a key factor driving the decades-high inflation, which hit 8.3% in April, according to Consumer Price Index data.
JPMorgan analysts have warned the national average could hit $6 per gallon by the end of the summer unless conditions improve. American families are reportedly spending at a rate of $5,000 per year just to fill up their gas tanks.
[Written in collaboration with other media outlets with information from the following sources]
