Free Glock With Home Purchase for Officers

Houston Community News >> Free Glock with Home Purchase for Houston Officers

12/9/2006 Houston-- By STEVE MCVICKER
Pearland-area real estate agent Julie Upton has decided to throw down on the competition.

Like any good salesperson, Upton is always looking for new ways to attract customers. Recently, she struck upon what she thinks is some tantalizing bait — at least when it comes to police officers.

Instead of a free toaster, TV or a stay at a luxury hotel, Upton, of Realty Associates, is offering officers a free Glock pistol with any home purchase of at least $150,000.

"It's attracted a lot of attention," she said of her ads in Badge & Gun, the monthly publication of the Houston Police Officers' Union. She said she came up with the idea with help from Blue Cat Creative Consulting and Design.

Upton has given away two Glocks. "So (the ad) has already paid for itself," she said. But not all of her law enforcement customers have been interested in another gun.

"So I just give a $500 American Express gift check," said Upton, whose husband, officer Randy Upton, is a 15-year Houston police veteran.

For police officers, Glocks range from about $450 to $550 on the company's Web site.

Franceska Perot, spokeswoman for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said the giveaway appears to comply with federal and local laws.

"Proper record-keeping in gun transactions is always important," she cautions. "We don't want them falling into the wrong hands."