AP Top Headlines

Friday, March 20, 2009

Massive Daytona Beach Crime Wave Spurs Sales of Weapons and Ammunition

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - There is a bright spot in the fast decay of Daytona Beach, at least for some businesses.

The general state of depression and huge unemployment in this long-abused city was compounded by the global financial crisis. In the middle of all the despair that envelopes Daytona Beach, its unprecedented resulting crime wave became a bonanza for gun sales.

Buck Gun Rack, a local gun store has reported record sales as a result of the widespread fear that local residents have been subjected to.

During a recent interview, Forrest Buckwald, owner of Buck's Gun Rack in Daytona Beach, shows the guns people are buying as they worry about the local economy, increased unemployment and crime, and a possible ban on semiautomatic rifle sales.

Sales have almost doubled in the last few months...

First-Time gun buyers are literally pouring through the door everyday...

We are selling almost nothing in the sporting category like hunting and sport shooting... Mostly we are selling things for home defense...

A lot of retired people are very frightened...

Forrest Buckwald
Gun Shop Owner


Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood attributes some increases in crime such as shoplifting and fraud, to the bad economy with "Robberies up a bit".



In all fairness to Chief Chitwood and the Daytona Beach Police Department, the roots of the crime wave lie in the massive unemployment, flight of businesses, lack of opportunities to local youths, and overall despair of the local population, caused by the widespread political corruption that has infected this formerly bustling beach city.

As it has long been known, Daytona's problems are not a local police matter; they are a Federal matter that requires urgent intervention.

"In the long run, families, neighborhoods, and jobs are the keys to reducing crime,"

author Samuel Walker in Sense and Nonsense About Crime and Drugs (1994)


Related Articles:

Daytona Beach Police Officer Arrested for Stealing

Despite the Growth Management Act, Corruption and Favoritism still alive in zoning and land use decisions in Florida

Daytona Beach: The moral breakdown of a city mired in corruption

Daytona Public Officials Conflict of Interest: Shiver and Taylor

This is killing Daytona Beach! When will it STOP?

Daytona Beach Job Woes Worsen

What do you think of this post?

  • Post a comment 
  • Sphere: Related Content
 
Labels: , , ,

2 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Blog Widget by LinkWithin

FBI Top Stories

Florida Corruption Watch

Food for Thought

Central Florida News 13 - Latest Headlines