European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                In who surrendered firearms never really wanted them by Mike Mokrzycki the associated press of bought his handgun for $20 on the Street to protect himself at work at a convenience store. But both times he was held up he was too afraid to use it. Frank bought an illegal Rifle also for $20, to protect his family in their Tough Bronx neighbourhood. With the gun at his Side he d watch out the window while his father ran errands. He worried about the weapon s unknown past and future. Joanne inherited the two rifles and pistol her father had bought after the Rev. Martin Luther King or. Was assassinated. While she still feared rampant crime in her Brooklyn neighbourhood she had no use for the weapons. And so when a businessman announced a privately funded plan would offer $100 in toy store gift certificates for guns surrendered to police Joe Frank and Joanne were among the hundreds who could t refuse. Some people turning in guns at the 34th precinct police station in Manhattan s crime Ridden Washington Heights last week were noticeably nervous from the time they entered the station House until they left with gift certificates and Cash in hand. Many would t talk to a reporter. Joe Frank and Joannne would. Their names have been made up because they spoke on condition of anonymity. Joe a 25-year-old store clerk drove 90 minutes from his Home in suburban Rockland county to the 34th precinct. He said he bought his ,25-caliber pistol on the Spur of the moment two years ago. A drug addict he d seen a few times before walked into the convenience store and offered it for $20. Talk about convenience. Knowing that the store had been robbed several times i figured the gun would be necessary Joe said. Then i regretted the fact that i bought it. If i Seitl can get into trouble even if i use it for  he also feared getting into a gunfight so both times he was held up the pistol sat under the counter and he turned Over the Cash. I was waiting for something like this to get rid of the continued on Page 20 Fernando Maleo initiated the new York program and helped launch a similar one in los Angeles. A sampling of weapons turned in at the Washington Heights police station is displayed for the press. Buybacks of the past following Are some of the bigger or More unusual gun buyback programs in recent years with the approximate number of weapons collected and the estimated total Cost of each Swap or Price paid per weapon Baltimore 13,000 guns three months in 1974 $650,000. St. Louis 7,500 firearms october 1991 $341,000. Hennepin county minn., 6,200 guns seven Days in february 1992 $50 per gun. Syracuse n.y., More than 2,700 firearms May 1992 $50 for handguns $25 for Long guns. Buffalo n.y., 2,000 guns four Days in february 1993 $75,000. Seattle nearly 1,800 guns september 1992 $50pergun. San Francisco 1,730 firearms october december 1991 $89,500 buyback did t accept rifles shotguns or guns that did t work. Boston 1,300 guns june september 1993 $50 per gun. Jefferson county ky., More than 1,000 guns february and october 1992 $40 Worth of coupons for each gun. Philadelphia More than 1,000 firearms july 1991 $20,880. Washington , 400 guns in two Days in september 1992 before being suspended due to Lack of funds $20,000 in private donations. Los Angeles 412 guns december 1993 in return for $50 Worth of concert or other tickets from ticketmaster. Los Angeles More than 130 assault weapons 1989 in return for $300 Cash apiece offered by City councilman Nate Holden. Sources associated press bureaus handgun control inc. The associated press Jay january 12, 1994 the stars and stripes 19