Police in Newark say they are getting more and more weapons off the streets and are on pace to beat the city's current record for gun seizures.

Police seized almost 700 weapons last year, a 60 percent increase compared to the 438 weapons seized in 2010. With nearly 500 guns taken off the street this year, the department could record its largest seizure of weapons in a single year, police officials say. The city record stands at 896 guns seized back in 2006.

Police credit their increased cooperation with the federal law enforcement agencies for the increase in seizures.

Investigators say many of the guns seized are linked to crimes. They say finding those guns are the key to bringing down violent crime numbers in the city.