Less than a month of compensation left for gun buyback, Bay of Plenty figures revealed

Less than 50 firearms have been handed in under the latest buyback and amnesty in the Bay of Plenty.

The scheme was first launched when New Zealand authorities banned semi-automatic weapons in response to the Christchurch mosque shootings on March 15, 2019.

New Zealand Police figures show 463 firearms have been handed back for compensation and 48 under amnesty nationwide in 2021, as of March 22.

Meanwhile, 117 pistol carbine conversion kits have been handed back for compensation, and 1352 firearm parts have also been handed back for compensation and 52 under amnesty.

Figures provided by police for the Bay of Plenty region did not go into the same amount of detail, however, they said 46 had been handed in as of March 11.

It comes after provisional data from February 2020 showed nearly 58,000 firearms had been collected for a total buy-back cost of $103,796,908.

Less than 50 firearms have been handed in under the latest buyback scheme in the Bay of Plenty region. Photo / Tania Whyte

The firearms buyback ends on May 1 and with less than a month remaining, police wanted to remind those with prohibited firearms to get in touch and hand them in.

"People need to apply for compensation by May 1 at a police station, so if you haven't already, it's time [to] come and hand them in," Inspector Richard Wilson said.

"We've worked hard to make it as simple as possible because we know that our firearms community was key to the success of the last buyback.

"Just give us a call on 0800 311 311 or email buyback2021@police.govt.nz to organise a time to meet someone at a station to hand over your items."

The current amnesty is in place until August 1, with buyback compensation running from February 1 to May 1 at police stations by appointment.

More information about the buyback scheme can be found on the police website, including information about applying for a permit to retain items.

Police: What to remember when handing in firearms

• Transport your firearm/s and items safely and securely in a soft firearms bag or lockable hard transit case. Ensure no firearms or magazines are loaded, and please remove all detachable magazine;

• Ensure you bring photo identification with you, such as your firearms licence, driver licence, or passport;

• Have your bank account number and proof of bank account, to ensure we have the correct number for you.