Western Bay of Plenty's gun collection events kick off in Te Puke

A gun collection event at Te Puke Sports and Recreation Club will continue today and tomorrow. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

Resigned acceptance was the mood of many of those who fronted at the Western Bay of Plenty's first gun collection event.

The three-day event started yesterdayat Te Puke Sports and Recreation Club.

It was part of the Government's amnesty and buyback scheme under the Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Parts and Magazines) Amendment Act 2019.

Bay of Plenty Police district manager of operations support, Inspector Ed Van Den Broek, said there was a big rush at the start of the day which meant some early arrivals had to wait 15 to 20 minutes to be processed.

''But everybody was processed quickly after that, it was a good day.''

He wasn't able to confirm the number of weapons collected.

''Generally we expected the numbers we ended up getting through today and everybody ended up leaving reasonably happy, so that was good.''

The collection event continues today and tomorrow between 9am and 1pm, and Van Den Broek said it was difficult to predict numbers for the next two days.

''We do know that the Western Bay of Plenty has the largest amount of firearms licence holders in our district, so we expect to have high numbers coming through, but we are prepared for that - we've got a good team here who can process them pretty quickly.''

Those going to the event should have registered online beforehand and should take their bank account details, identification number and firearms licence.

Inside the sports club, three tables were set up to process the weapons, each with an assessor.

''They assess the weapon to make sure it's the one that's been registered online and then they assess what the value will be.''

Van Den Broek said he has been to eight collection events and no one had been unhappy with the assessed value.

''People have a resigned acceptance that this is what's happening. Most people realise the law's changed so they now need to comply with the law and hand in their weapons and get the money from the Government and move on.''

Carrying out meet and greet duties at yesterday's collection event were police vetters.

''They go to people's homes when they apply for a firearms licence, or when they renew their firearms licence. We are using those people to do the meet and greet in the carpark so when somebody pulls up they see a face that they might recognise.''

As well as the buyback element to the collection, the events were also part of the Government firearms' amnesty.

''We can take ammunition, but it's not part of the buyback, it's part of the amnesty. It's also worth noting that if people have weapons at home they might not have a firearms licence for, or the licence holder has passed away, they are more than welcome to bring their weapons in, no questions asked. We'll take their weapons, get them out of the community and we'll dispose of them.''

Yesterday's collected weapons would not have far to travel because they will be shredded in Te Puke, which has one of just two of the country's plants being used to destroy surrendered weapons. The other is in Auckland.

The next Western Bay collection events will be in Tauranga at Baypark's stadium lounge between August 30 and September 1 and again between September 27 and 29.