Man arrested in Shoebury after being spotted with a sword
He is currently being questioned in custody as investigations continue.
A man has been arrested in Shoebury after reports of someone walking through the area with a sword on Monday afternoon (17 November) .
Essex Police received multiple calls about a man allegedly carrying a bladed weapon. Officers responded immediately and were able to detain the suspect within minutes.
While no threats were reported, the man was arrested, and the sword was recovered. He is currently being questioned in custody as investigations continue.
Inspector Sian Parry, from Southend Local Policing Team, said she was grateful for the public’s help in enabling swift action.
“When we work together with the public, we can efficiently police our neighbourhoods and keep people safe,” Parry said.
“I’d like to personally thank everyone who called us and told us about the movements of a suspect, allowing us to make a swift arrest.”
She added that incidents involving knives are always treated with urgency:
“Any calls to us relating to the possession or use of a knife will be treated with the level of urgency the public expect.”
This week marks the start of Sceptre, a national initiative focusing on knife crime, but Essex Police say their commitment to tackling knife crime happens all year round.
According to their data, Essex has seen a 9% reduction in knife-enabled crime year-on-year, with 135 fewer incidents reported. Since 2019, knife-enabled crime incidents have dropped by 16% overall.