UPS Mistakenly Delivers Assault Rifle To LI Couple Instead Of Toy Plane

OCEANSIDE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Long Island couple was shocked to find an assault rifle delivered to their house -- when in fact, they ordered a toy.

The Oceanside couple, who asked not to be identified, thought nothing at first about UPS delivering a package with their names and address to their house, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported. The couple even had the UPS deliveryman place the box in the trunk of their car.

The husband of the family told Hall they drove around with what they thought was a toy airplane for a friend's child.

Instead, it was an assault rifle.

"...With a rather sophisticated scope, according to the police," the man told Hall. "It was not the little Fisher-Price toy we had expected." 

As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported, it also came with an ammunition clip and a stand.

After opening the package in front of their 6-year-old granddaughter, the couple has many questions.

"What if it went to someone who was having ill intentions, and thought this was the greatest opportunity to get a weapon like this?" the husband told Hall.

The horrified family immediately called 911. Police arrived within minutes and confiscated the weapon, only to discover it was supposed to go to a gunsmith in upstate Woodbourne -- a permit was enclosed.

The tracking labels indicated UPS was delivering a toy plane the family ordered from Kohls.

"Considering all the automation we have now, how a 3.4-lbs package could be mistaken for a 51-lbs package," a family member said.

A spokesperson for UPS said in a statement that this is "a highly unusual incident" and that they are investigating.

"UPS does accept shipment of certain firearms in our domestic U.S. system as long as the shipments comply with applicable law and are shipped in accordance with company policies," the statement read. "These shipments must be between licensed manufacturers, dealers, distributors, collectors and exclude consumer shipments. UPS puts responsibility with the shippers of regulated goods to follow the requirements for labeling and specific packaging."

Less than 24 hours later, UPS delivered the correct package -- containing the toy plane that will go under the tree.

Detectives said no charges have been filed, and no criminality is suspected at this point. UPS said it does accept shipment of certain firearms in its domestic U.S. system as long as they comply with applicable law.