81 guns collected in ‘Kicks for Guns' event

CENTRAL FLORIDA — Thursday's Kicks for Guns event hosted by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office racked in a total of 81 guns, deputies said.

Residents were able to  turn in a gun, no questions asked, in exchange for a $50 Walmart gift card.

Last year, deputies collected 58 guns.

The giftcards were purchased with money seized in criminal cases.

Organizers collected them between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

People drove up to the location, stayed in their cars and handed over any gun they wanted to give up. The guns were then taken to a trailer to be identified, cleaned and tagged.

The guns were then taken into another trailer to be processed. Authorities ran the serial numbers with a national database to see if any of the guns are stolen.

Deputies said one gun they collected was reported stolen out of Lake County in 1998.

Fourteen agencies in central Florida collected the guns.

"There are a lot of people who just don't want guns in their house in case they get broken into. There are a lot of people who are afraid they'll get stolen and maybe used in crimes. Some are afraid if they have small children in the house that they'll get a hold of them and use them," said Lt. Tim Johnson of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

WFTV