A group of people entice people to sell their guns instead of turn them in to police. (File photo by Chris Stone)

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office will host a gun safety event this weekend in Encinitas to collect unwanted weapons from the public.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Encinitas City Hall at 505 South Vulcan Avenue.

People who donate handguns, rifles and shotguns will receive $100 gift cards, while those who bring in assault weapons will receive $200 gift cards, according to the department.

Free cable locks and gun-safety lock boxes will also be distributed.

To be eligible for the gun buyback program, firearms must be in working order, unloaded, and placed in the trunk of a vehicle. A deputy or officer will then provide further instructions, the department said.

All collected weapons will be destroyed, officials said.

The sheriff’s department non-emergency line is (858) 565-5200.