MELT DOWN: Weapons from Gun Buy Back Program Converted to Rebar

Weapons that were traded for gift cards in Redlands and other communities during a recent countywide Gun Buy Back program were melted down Thursday and converted to rebar for use in construction, according to the Sheriff's Department.

A total of 1,424 firearms were exchanged for Stater Bros. gift cards during gun buy backs staged Saturday June 1 in Redlands, Colton, San Bernardino, Rialto, Fontana, Ontario, Montclair, Upland, Chino and Barstow, sheriff's officials said in a statement.

Of the total, 23 firearms were determined to be assault rifles, sheriff's officials said.

"During the process of conducting a record check of the firearms, nine firearms were identified as having been previously reported stolen and two were found to have been reported lost," sheriff's officials said. "Law enforcement officials are now diligently working to return those weapons to their rightful owners."

At the gun buy backs, there was no limit on the amount of firearms any individual could exchange for gift cards, according to law enforcement announcements. Inoperable weapons could be exchanged for $50 gift cards, handguns, shotguns and rifles could be exchanged for gift cards worth up to $100, and assault weapons as classified in the State of California could be exchanged for gift cards worth up to $200.

On Thursday June 20, sheriff's personnel took firearms from the buy backs to the Gerdua Steel Mill in Rancho Cucamonga to be melted down. Witnesses of the melt down included San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon, Redlands police Chief Mark Garcia, San Bernardino police Chief Robert Handy, Rialto police Chief Tony Farrar, Montclair police Chief Mike deMoet, Fontana police Chief Rod Jones, and Ontario police Chief Eric Hopley.

According to the Sheriff's Department, the rebar will be used for construction of buildings, freeways, parking garages and other concrete structures as part of Project Isaiah, a recycling program named for a biblical passage in the Book of Isaiah.

Sheriff's officials said the countywide Gun Buy Back program was funded by California State, Proposition 30 – Schools and Local Public Safety Protection Act of 2012.