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JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced today that cities have used its gift cards to buy back 7,500 guns to reduce crime. Police departments in Chicago and New York exchanged the company's cards for guns with no questions asked. In July, the New York Police Department and Brooklyn district attorney's office gave $200 prepaid cards for guns and $20 prepaid cards for BB guns and air pistols, the company says, noting the effort netted 697 weapons. The Chicago Police Department said in July that residents of the city turned in more than 6,800 guns in exchange for MasterCard prepaid gift cards. Chicago offered residents $100 gift cards for turning in guns and $10 prepaid MasterCards for turning in gun replicas, BB guns and air rifles (CardLine, 7/30). Chicago police exchanged the cards for guns at 25 churches as part of its fourth campaign to collect firearms since 2006. Chicago collected 6,700 guns during a similar initiative last summer. Chase and local police departments represent a trend in which gift cards are used to help remove potential contraband from the streets. In another example, the Broward County, Fla., Sheriff's department on May 31 gave consumers who brought in unused prescription and over-the-counter drugs $5 CVS, Walgreen and Wal-Mart gift cards (CardLine, 6/18).
