Posted on 06/18/2002 5:11:10 AM PDT by areafiftyone
A Queens man was arrested after his estranged wife took advantage of a gun amnesty program Monday and walked into a police station with a stash of weapons, including a pipe bomb.
According to police, Luz Peralta walked into the 115th Precinct station house, in Jackson Heights, with a duffel bag full of weapons she was turning in under the cash for guns program run by the New York City Police Department.
When officers noticed the active bomb, the station house was evacuated and the bomb squad was called in.
Police say the weapons belonged to the woman's 45-year-old husband, Raphael Peralta. He was later arrested and then charged with three counts of weapons possession.
She wasn't arrested - he was. NYC strikes again.
I dunno- how big was it? what was the filler? what kind of pipe?
I'll take a wait and see posture until I hear more- just because they say it was a pipe bomb doesn't mean it was one... the police in idianapolis charged some guy with having "amor piercing" rounds when they found some old black talons in his possession...
Pipe Bomb Panic for Police
Woman sent cops running from a Queens stationhouse yesterday after she showed up seeking money for some guns — and a live pipe bomb — she said belonged to her estranged husband.
Luz Peralta, 42, of Queens, was looking to cash in on the NYPD's Gun Amnesty program when she asked the 115th Precinct desk sergeant how much she could get for a duffel bag full of weapons, police said.
But the cop became alarmed when he peeked into the bag and saw the pipe bomb next to an inoperable pistol, two rifles and ammunition.
"It was a significant, armed bomb," said a high-ranking police official.
Police left the explosive in the bag, called in the bomb squad and quickly emptied the stationhouse at 92nd St. and Northern Blvd. in Jackson Heights.
The bomb squad disarmed the device at the station, said Deputy Chief Edward Cannon. "Our experts from the bomb squad determined that the device was extremely volatile," Cannon said.
Cops said it was unclear if Peralta knew the bomb was in the bag when she entered the stationhouse at about 4 p.m.
Police arrested her estranged husband, Rafael Peralta, 45, and charged him with three counts of illegal weapons possession.
The Peraltas separated about a year ago, and Luz Peralta told police she found the bag of weapons while clearing out her husband's belongings from her Jackson Heights home.
Under the amnesty program, police pay $100 for every gun turned in. Police said they were still willing to pay Luz Peralta for the guns.
Indianapolis cops: "They (the Black Talon bullets) are designed to rip apart the vests. It is scary."
Like I said, I'll take a "wait and see" posture before coming to conclusions.
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