More than 150 zombie knives handed to Sussex police stations
A month-long crackdown ended last week ahead of a ban coming into force
More than 150 zombie knives and machetes have been handed in to police stations across Sussex.
A month-long surrender was held until September 24th to take the weapons off the streets ahead of a new law banning the weapons coming into effect.
It saw those handing in weapons given compensation of £10 a time, up to a value of £30, for handing in weapons which fell foul of the guidelines.
In total, 155 weapons were surrendered during the scheme.
The new law makes it illegal to possess, sell, manufacture, and transport the weapons, something Sussex Police said marks 'a major step forward in making our communities safer'.
Chief Inspector Jim Loader, Sussex Police's lead for Serious Violence and knife crime, said:
"We have seen the tragic impact that knife crime can cause in the past year. The death of Charlie Cosser was a stark and awful reminder of the dangers posed by people carrying knives.
"It is clear that these weapons have no place in public or private places.
"The vital changes to legislation will take more weapons off the streets, and deal with those intent on using them. The law will also make it more difficult for young people to get knives and other dangerous items in the first place."
Criteria for weapons which are now illegal to possess after 24 September 2024:
The weapon sometimes known as a ‘zombie-style’ knife or ‘zombie-style’ machete, being a bladed article with—
(i) a plain cutting edge;
(ii) a sharp pointed end; and
(iii) a blade of over eight inches in length (the length of the blade being the straight-line distance from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade),
which also has one or more of the following features, the specified features are:
— (a) a serrated cutting edge (other than a serrated cutting edge of up to two inches next to the handle);
(b) more than one hole in the blade;
(c) spikes;
(d) more than two sharp points in the blade other than:
(a) a sharp point where the angle between the edges which create the point is an angle of at least 90 degrees (where there is a curved edge, the angle will be measured by reference to the tangent of the curve);
(b) a sharp point on the cutting edge of the blade near the handle.