New York Daily News – by Kenneth Lovett
ALBANY — The state attorney general sent cease-and-desist letters to some of America’s largest retailers for selling toy guns that look too much like the real thing.
The letters, sent at the height of the holiday shopping season, said the retailers were violating a New York law that prohibits selling realistic-looking toy guns that do not carry a prominent markings.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman accused Wal-Mart, Sears, Amazon.com, Kmart and ToyArsenal.com of selling the banned toys online to New York residents.
A Kmart in Rochester was found to have the prohibited toy guns on its shelves, he said.
“When toy guns are mistaken for real guns, there can be tragic consequences,” Schneiderman said.
“Retailers cannot put children and law enforcement at risk by selling toy guns that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.”
In New York State, four people have been killed since 1997 and a child seriously wounded because police mistook their toy guns for real ones.
Under the state law, toy weapons in realistic colors such as black, blue, silver or aluminum must contain orange striping down both sides of the barrel and at the front end of the barrel.
Schneiderman’s investigation found that some of the toy guns being offered are advertised as “realistic looking” and “full size,” including imitation assault rifles, shotguns and pistols.
The toys sell for under $10 to as much as several hundred dollars.
This marks the second time Wal-Mart has been accused by the attorney general’s office to have violated the law. The previous violation resulted in a court order prohibiting the retailer from selling toy guns in New York.
Schneiderman aides said the investigation is ongoing. The stores can be fined $1,000 for each violation and potentially face other fines as well, they said.
A spokesman for the company that owns both Sears and Kmart said, “The safety of our customers is a top priority. We are in the process of immediately removing any non-compliant toy guns that are offeed for sale by Sears or Kmart to New York consumers. We will fully cooperate with the New York attorney general in (his) investigation.”
What is it with these stupid sons a bitches. Those companys should tell them to KISS THEIR A$$’$ 😡
outstanding that in this former “free” country, the oligarchs are allowed to ban toys,,,,f#@king pathetic they are getting away with even this.