“Very limited” number of ninja swords surrendered in Wiltshire as amnesty month hits halfway point
Ninja swords will be banned from 1 August
Wiltshire Police are reminding people across Swindon and Wiltshire to hand in any ninja swords before the end of the month.
Ahead of a ban on the blades coming in on 1 August, the Force is taking part in an amnesty month which allows people to surrender the knives safely and without consequences.
Wiltshire Police is also accepting any other blades, including already outlawed zombie knives and machetes.
T/Superintendent Paul Saunders told Greatest Hits Radio: “In terms of actual ninja swords that number is very limited at the moment, but what we are finding is that people are still handing in the zombie knives and other knives that they are finding, so this amnesty still exists for those other things to be handed in, should people have them
“Ninja swords in terms of activity involving them is not hugely significant for Wiltshire, so we weren't expecting a massive deluge of these to be handed in, but the opportunity is there for people should they require it.”
He also stressed the importance of transporting any blades safely.
“It's very important to remember that if you are taking a ninja sword to somewhere, it's got to be safe to handle for yourself and for the police, because you'll be handing it over to inquiry office staff there.
“It has to be contained in a manner that allows it to be transported without causing any alarm or distress. The last thing we want is that someone is handing this in legitimately, but someone thinks that someone's walking down the road with a sword in their hands.
“So, wrap it up or place in a sealed box or bag. It must not be carried openly at any time. And please don't take it out in the police station until you're asked to do so. Again, the last thing we want is someone producing a sword in a police station or a public place which could be misinterpreted.”
The Government defines ninja swords as a blade which is between 14 – 24 inches long and has a single straight cutting edge as well as either a tanto style or a reversed tanto style point.
The swords – alongside any other blades – can be handed in at the following police stations:
- Gablecross, Swindon
- Monkton Park, Chippenham
- Hampton Park West, Melksham
- Polebarn Road, Trowbridge
- Bourne Hill, Salisbury
Wiltshire Police also has six knife surrender bins – five in Swindon and one in Devizes.
“It's entirely up to the public if they want to surrender them. That's why we're doing this in advance of it. But it's also giving people that heads up, that ignorance of the law is no defence to the law”, added T/Supt Saunders.
“So, people should be aware that this is coming in in August and should be prepared for that eventuality, but if anyone is at all concerned that they may or may not have something that fits this legislation, the Home Office website has all of that detail on there. It also has some of the detail in relation to the lawful ownership that you can have for these kind of things.”
The blades can be surrendered anonymously.
If you want to claim compensation, however, police will need to confirm ownership which requires personal data.