With more than 900 firearms surrendered so far, the Toronto Police Service wants to keep the Pixels for Pistols program going for another week.
"Due to its overwhelming success, the Pixels for Pistols program, scheduled to conclude on Sunday, November 23, 2008, has been extended to Monday, December 1, 2008," the service said in a news release issued Friday.
The program is being operated in conjunction with Henry's, a local camera dealer.
Those who surrender a firearm receive a Nikon digital camera and photography lessons from Henry's.
Rifles or firearms earn a person a Coolpix P-60, retail value $189.99; or a Coolpix S-52 for an assault rifle or pistol, retail value $229.99.
Police aren't expecting criminals to take advantage of the program, but they are hoping citizens who have firearms they don't really need or want will turn the weapons in.
About 30 per cent of the firearms used in Toronto crimes originated with legitimate owners, the remainder smuggled in from the United States.
If the firearm isn't properly registered, that isn't a problem. The program is being treated as an amnesty.
People are asked to contact the Toronto police at 416-808-2222 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to arrange for the firearm to be picked up. People are asked not to bring a firearm to a police station or into any Henry's location.
There is this fine print that applies to any firearm surrendered: ""Although this amnesty provides limited immunity to certain possession offences it does not include any other offences that may be connected to a particular firearm or individual. Firearms suspected as crime guns will be investigated thoroughly including Centre of Forensic Sciences ballistics testing, serial number restoration if obliterated and a trace of the origin of the firearm will be conducted."
Toronto has tried gun amnesties before. In 2000, one collected more than 1,500 weapons. In 2005, another 261 were taken off the streets.
