Some users have been reporting today that there is a new option in their Redbox kiosk: 9mm handguns.
An Inside Redbox community member shares the following:
Early this morning - after getting off work at about 2am - I went to the Redbox to pick up a new release (Alvin and the Chipmunks). I do this early every Tuesday because I know that the movie I am looking for will always be there. The Redbox I go to is in downtown Chicago near the shipyard where I work.
Anyway, when I got there this morning to pick up the movie I noticed a new movie I hadn’t heard of called “9mm”. So, I check out the description and all it says is: “If you need it, you know what to do.” I thought that was a little weird, and there was no “Add to Cart” button, so I figured it wasn’t out yet.
Thinking nothing of, I decided just to get what I came for, and as I was about to checkout I noticed a little post-it note on the ground. I picked it up and it had some random letters on it, so I thought maybe it was a promo code. So, before checking out I entered the code (IMAGETU) and it was accepted.
So, I do all the usual checkout stuff and while my movie was coming out I heard a little “click” and noticed that the rectangular door at the bottom of the Redbox had opened. I get down and take a look and notice that inside this door is plastic box with a handgun inside. A little freaked out, I quickly closed the door, took my movie, and left.
This member - who wanted to remain anonymous - sent me this email hoping to find out if I knew anything about this. I decided to call Redbox and see what was going on.
I talked to Tommy G. in the PR department and he gave me the details…
“With recent reports of violence at some of our ‘rougher’ locations, Redbox wanted to help ensure our customers’ safety”, said Mr. Gunn. “So, we added this option in some of these areas to test out the idea. It is unfortunate that this customer found out about this before it was ready to be released to the public. Rest assured that we are doing everything we can to make our customers’ experience at Redbox the best it can be.”
Tommy went on to tell me that the rental of handguns from Redbox will have the same policies as movies, and were due back at 9pm with a $1 per day charge for keeping it out. The one difference, though, was that after 25 days the charges would cease but ‘other’ means would be used to ensure the weapon was returned.
So, has anyone else seen this at their Redbox location? Have you tried the mysterious ‘IMAGETU’ code? Leave a comment and let us know.
[Note: The above story is fictional and was written for April Fool's Day]
Jen said
April 1 2008 @ 10:21 am
Good One…
valerie said
April 1 2008 @ 10:22 am
Funny April fools joke…hilarious!
Pamela said
April 1 2008 @ 10:28 am
Great one! I had to send to a friend who rents from the box all the time!
Steve said
April 1 2008 @ 10:31 am
Now that was a good April Fools joke!
batera said
April 1 2008 @ 10:41 am
Happy April Fools Day!
Amy said
April 1 2008 @ 10:41 am
I was thinking you guys were crazy! LOL!
sue said
April 1 2008 @ 10:42 am
i could tell this was an april fool’s gig, but don’t you think you went to far on this one?
tanyetta said
April 1 2008 @ 10:46 am
what sue said.
Kravitzgirl84 said
April 1 2008 @ 10:48 am
I was scared for a minute! Good one!
Nicolette said
April 1 2008 @ 10:54 am
Ha Ha!
Kiki said
April 1 2008 @ 11:32 am
U MAY TRY TO GET ME BUT YOU WON’T SUCCEED.
I could just Tell!
Rich said
April 1 2008 @ 11:40 am
Ahhhh…..Yea, It made no sense, to begin with?
But, it gets you interested enough to read it.
Hey, Is the code good? anyone…???
miles said
April 1 2008 @ 11:47 am
I kept thinking this world is crazy. Then my next thought was if there was a violent crime how would anyone have time to type in the code. Ha ha ha ha That was the first April Fools to get me. That was a good one guys.
Craig said
April 1 2008 @ 11:54 am
I was hoping for an Uzi, not a popgun. Happy April Fools day!
Sunshine said
April 1 2008 @ 11:59 am
I was freaking out, I thought it was for real!!!
Jimbo Jones said
April 1 2008 @ 12:44 pm
Did anybody really think this was true? Ugh…
Jen said
April 1 2008 @ 1:00 pm
Too far? Ha! If they were handing out AK 47’s that would have been too far!
Ruthless said
April 1 2008 @ 1:04 pm
I heard that once upon a time there was a “Naked Gun” available too. But it tended to go off unexpectedly.
Jared said
April 1 2008 @ 1:25 pm
It is sad you can’t even play a HARMLESS April fools day joke without some people getting offended. Anyway had me going, good job! Happy April Fools Day!
slackjawedtpot said
April 1 2008 @ 1:52 pm
MR Tommy Gunn in PR…
sara said
April 1 2008 @ 2:37 pm
I loved it. I am a stay at home mom and dont get out to participate much in the fun.. This was great!! Thanks.
timothy said
April 1 2008 @ 3:32 pm
I hope this was an April fools joke. I knew something wasn’t right, especially the price. I guess you got me because I read the whole article. Ok, can we get a free code for Wednesday or tonight?
Theo said
April 1 2008 @ 4:03 pm
You’ve got a wonderful sense of humor! Thank you! If we ever have a president from the Libertarian Party, you could do a spoof on pot and other drugs being vended from Redboxes! That would be more believable than handguns …
gina said
April 1 2008 @ 4:33 pm
pull trigger on the “gun”, flag pops out says: bang?
Danette said
April 1 2008 @ 5:06 pm
Yeah you got me there for a minute. I was thinking, Ok this is the stupidest thing because that means anyone could get a hand gun even kids. Yes I am a little dingy for even thinking this could be true. LOL!
jim said
April 1 2008 @ 5:30 pm
IMAGETU
that’s too funny
J.B. said
April 1 2008 @ 6:50 pm
With some of the gun nuts in the NRA pushing the Second Amendment beyond the limits of common sense I wouldn’t be surprised to find this actually happens some day.
normalicy said
April 1 2008 @ 7:48 pm
Funny, this is my 3 seconds of thought after reading the headline, “How’d it fit through the slot? Must be pretty slim… Hey, that’d be cool if it was that slim… Wait, it’s April 1st.”
Denise said
April 2 2008 @ 10:05 am
That was too funny! Even though I’m getting my mail a day late I still enjoyed it! Thanks for the laugh, you do a GREAT job keeping inside redbox fun!
Gary said
April 2 2008 @ 1:56 pm
Since I got this on the 2nd I wasn’t even thinking of April fools.
That is funny….
MR Jones said
April 3 2008 @ 12:29 pm
So,
Can I still keep the gun????
Rick said
April 3 2008 @ 2:42 pm
hahahaha OMG i thought this was serious!
Good one!
Patty said
April 4 2008 @ 3:52 am
OMG I admit it, you got me.The weird things that go through you when you hear gun and easy access,Whew.great joke
TJ said
April 4 2008 @ 12:34 pm
wasn’t even thinking about april fools, I was thinking “wouldn’t it just be easier to rob someone at the redbox if you could just rent the gun from the redbox” but the tommy gunn gave it away. good joke.
Nkosaithi Logan said
April 5 2008 @ 2:03 pm
Good one though I think BLACK BOX would of been more politically correct title.
JasonMK said
April 6 2008 @ 8:32 pm
Lol, “Tommy Gunn gave it away”, how about the Title. Funny though, now back to watching movies:)
andy lee said
April 7 2008 @ 5:30 pm
I was kinda busy coz we got some car accident last Monday, so we just read it kinda late, on March 7th, still I’m kinda a bit shock to hear that really weird idea that people can get gun from Redbox? to do self defense? enough time to put the code and anybody can have them, too even with no license, that cheap? what a world?? then I read the date (Apr 1st). You got me there really good for couple seconds ;p Anyway I saw the picture of two back to back guns and also picture of empty redbox dvd box? would that be the part of the joke, too?
Peace
dC said
April 9 2008 @ 7:47 am
What is even more funny I bet Chicago Police sent someone to investigate.
Miss Understood said
April 18 2008 @ 1:32 pm
HAHA Tommy G. Mr. Gunn :) LOL Nice one :)
Judy said
April 20 2008 @ 10:16 am
Haha, I wonder, did anyone actually try the imagetu code??