3,000 knives surrendered in Greater Manchester amnesty bins destroyed
The weapons were taken to a local scrap yard
Around three thousand knives that were surrendered in amnesty bins across Greater Manchester have been safely destroyed.
GMP officers from Operation Venture recently disposed of the weapons, which came in all shapes and sizes, at a scrap metal compound in Openshaw.
Most of the knives were dropped into amnesty bins outside police stations in 12 locations in Greater Manchester.
The force's Forever Amnesty, which was launched at the beginning of 2020, gives members of the public the chance to dispose of a knife anonymously with no questions asked.
It followed the success of a knife amnesty in September 2019.
Twenty drums were filled in January 2024 of approximately 3,000 knives which were recovered over a few years and then squashed and mangled into tiny metal chunks. They were later then melted and recycled appropriately.
Sergeant Paul Heap from GMP’s Operation Venture team who organised the destruction of the knives said; “This action is vital in our attempt to remove knives from our streets and show an impactful stance to knife crime.
“Each one deposed of is one less that can be used in crime or to inflict serious injury and the amount recovered further shows the use and importance of these amnesty bins which continue to remain in places across a variety of locations in each district across Greater Manchester.
“This is an opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of using these bins to ensure we all play a part in keeping our communities safe.”
You can report knife crime by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency. You can also make a report via GP’s website.
To report anonymously, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via the website.