Burbank police collect illegal firearms

Authorities last week confiscated nearly 30 firearms from Burbank residents who, due to felony convictions and other issues, are prohibited under state law from owning a gun.

Working with Burbank police, officials with the California Department of Justice knocked on 14 doors in Burbank over a two-day period to enforce the regulations.

During the operation, 28 firearms — including handguns, shotguns and rifles — were confiscated from five homes, according to Burbank Police Lt. Eric Deroian.

Several hundred rounds of ammunition were also seized, he added.

The state’s Armed Prohibited Persons System cross references five databases to identify California residents who have legally bought guns since 1996, but who are now prohibited from owning them because of felony convictions, domestic violence convictions, active restraining orders or certain mental illnesses.

While Burbank has low levels of violent crime, “we don’t want to take anything for granted,” said Burbank Police Capt. Denis Cremins.

“If there’s a situation where potentially a gun can be used by somebody not legally entitled to it, I think we have obligation to take it out of the equation,” he said.

Burbank police plan to continue monitoring the list to make sure residents are complying with the law, Deroian said.

In 2012, state agents reported confiscating more than 2,000 firearms, 117,000 rounds of ammunition and 11,072 illegal high-capacity magazines through the program.

The program serves “to maximize every tool at our disposal to prevent crime — that’s our main mission,” Cremins said.

The first statewide sweep occurred in 2007.

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Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.

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