'Record' number of weapons handed in during knife amnesty across Cambridgeshire
Police in Peterborough hope seeing a record number of weapons handed in will make more people aware of the dangers they pose
Police in Peterborough are hopeful a record weapons amnesty will help change the way knife crime is dealt with.
370 weapons were handed in last week, the most its ever received as part of the Cambridgeshire force's Operation Guardian.
The items, including large knives and swords, were surrendered as part of a national operation to take weapons off the streets.
Cambridgeshire Police have said:
"The regular amnesties in the county often see the number of items handed in exceed 100, but the total last week is thought to be a record.
"Amnesty bins were located in Cambridge, Peterborough and South Cambs, with an additional collection in Ely recovering 25 weapons.
"As well as the amnesty, officers conducted 25 school visits, 15 test purchases with retailers who all passed, weapon sweeps and the arrest of high risk offenders resulting in weapons being seized."
In the last year, possession of weapons offences in Cambridgeshire decreased by seven per cent.
Where knives are concerned, it is illegal to:
- sell a knife of any kind to anyone under 18 years old.
- carry a knife in public without good reason - unless it’s a knife with a folding blade 3 inches long (7.62 cm) or less, eg a Swiss Army knife
- carry, buy or sell any type of banned knife
- use any knife in a threatening way (even a legal knife, such as a Swiss Army knife)
The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and a fine of £5,000.
Inspector Karl Secker said:
“This is a fantastic result and clear evidence there is an ongoing need to provide people with an opportunity to surrender weapons.
“Thank you to everyone who handed items in and to the officers who supported the week of action.
“Amnesties are not the sole answer to tackling knife crime, but they are an important ongoing tactic.
“Working with young people is also vital, so I’m pleased we managed to visit a number of schools across the county during the week.
“We will continue to do all we can to tackle knife crime as we aim to make the county even safer.”
Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston said:
“If we manage to take just one knife off the streets, we could potentially save a life. The results of last week’s knife amnesty are encouraging however it is essential we continue to work together to prevent this abhorrent crime from happening in the first place.
“As Chair of the countywide High Harms Board, I continue to lead the partnership response to serious violence, which has a devastating impact on the lives of victims, their families, and the wider community.”