Police: Ninja Swords amnesty a chance to remove weapons from Northamptonshire's streets

Northamptonshire Police say this months ninja sword amnesty is a chance to remove all blades from our streets.

We are one week into a month long amnesty in Northamptonshire and around the country, before they are outlawed in August.

179 knives were recovered by Northants Police in May as part of a week of action tackling knife crime.

Detective Superintendent Andy Glenn is the force lead for serious violence and prevention and intervention.

He says they may see fewer of these blades recovered this month:

"I think there's likely to be fewer of those than than knives in general, and whilst this focuses on Ninja Swords and I would urge people, it doesn't have to just be ninja swords.

"Any weapons that they're aware of, they can hand them in so it would be it would be positive if we could to take a similar number off the streets during this month."

The surrender follows last summer’s ‘zombie’ knife scheme that saw thousands of weapons taken off the streets before they were banned.

This month anyone handing one in at three local police stations can get a small amount of compensation as Detective Superintendent Andy Glenn explains:

"It's a small amount of compensation. I think it's £5. But the main issue really is is about taking these knives off the streets, so there's also amnesty bins across the county where people can just hand them in without compensation."

He says knife crime is devesting for the victims and perpetrators:

"Sadly, we see the impact that knife crime has on so many people. The ripple effect. So it will be the victim of of these knife crime offences but also their family, their friends and also the offender who will likely go to prison for really something that doesn't need to happen. For me there is no reason for people to have these these weapons in public."

What is a Ninja Sword?

a blade whose length is at least 14 inches, but no more than 24 inches (the length of the blade being the straight-line distance from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade)

a primary straight cutting edge

a secondary straight cutting edge

a blunt spine

either a tanto style point or a reversed tanto style point

Swords can be handed in to these police stations in person:

Weston Favell Police Station

Wellingborough Police Station

Daventry Police Station