Mexican police offer Xboxes for guns

Police attempting to tackle the problem of crime in the inner-city barrio of Tepito, Mexico, have come up with a novel idea. They're offering citizens game consoles in exchange for guns, reports Reuters.

Under the program, part of a push against drug violence, a small gun can be exchanged for cash or for an Xbox console. The report doesn't state whether the consoles are the original Xbox or Xbox 360.

High-calibre weapons such as machine guns would be swapped for a computer valued at 8,500 pesos ($769).

The weapons the police receive will be destroyed by the army, and those who give them up are promised anonymity. A police spokesperson reported that on the first day of the scheme, March 27, 17 guns had been handed in.