30% of armed robberies committed with toy guns

March 6^th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com)  At least three in ten armed robberies in Costa Rica are committed using a toy gun, according to the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ).  This week, authorities destroyed 487 such toy guns that were being held in evidence in the National Arsenal.

Among toy guns confiscated by officers are replicas of revolvers, shotguns, AK47’s, and pistols of different calibers, according to authorities.

Costa Rican authorities also warned, “the use of replica toy guns is a risk that promotes aggression, bullying, and even juvenile delinquency.”

In addition to toy guns, authorities also routinely confiscate homemade firearms.  Authorities have more than one thousand such weapons slated to be destroyed in April.