Swindon restaurant offers 50% discount to customers who hand in weapons
Odane Cross is joining the fight against knife crime
Last updated 28th Sep 2023
A man who runs a Swindon restaurant is joining the fight against knife crime, by giving discounts to customers who hand in bladed weapons.
Odane Cross, who has been stabbed himself, owns the Caribbean food outlet Cross Kitchenn in Rodbourne.
His 'Trade the Blade' project means people can hand over their knives in a safe environment, at the restaurant. They will be offered a half price bill for doing so.
The 31-year-old started the scheme in February 2021, when he previously lived in Reading, before continuing it when he moved to Swindon in October 2022. He has collected around 500 bladed weapons to date.
'I try my best to protect my kids'
This week, our #KnivesCostLives investigation exclusively revealed that reports of serious knife crime have almost tripled in Swindon over the past decade.
Furthermore, during the first half of this year, more than two reports of serious knife crime were made across the borough every week on average.
Odane has told Greatest Hits Radio why he wants to play his part in tackling the issue.
"My oldest daughter is 12 now and I've taken knives from 12-year-olds, 11-year-olds. For me, it's scary when I have kids. I'm seeing a lot of people coming in, people losing their kids. It's horrible.
"It's grooming. I'll speak to kids and tell them that they are getting groomed - they don't understand what I mean by grooming.
"(It's) someone older coming to them, saying: 'Can you hold a knife, can you carry a knife? I'll buy you this and do that'," he said.
The father-of-six added that he worries about his children's safety in Swindon "any day, any time, anywhere they will go".
"I try my best to protect my kids and everyone else's kids in the area," he added.
'The justice system failed us big time'
Back in 2007, the chef also lost a close friend to knife crime. He died in Odane's arms, bleeding, after being stabbed.
"That will never leave me, to see him like that. I can never get rid of that image, I can never get rid of the thought. I can never get over it.
"These kids don't understand, there's more to life (than knife crime) ... a lot of these kids have got nothing to lose. They have got no fear at all.
"The justice system has failed us big time, because these kids think that if they get caught with a knife, or kill someone, they will be out (of prison) in 10 years. The reality of it is, nine times out of 10 they are. The sentences that people are getting now are crazily (lenient)," he said.
Odane now wears a stab vest to protect himself in areas of Swindon which he feels could be unsafe.
'More knife-carrying criminals are being sent to jail for longer'
In a statement, a government spokesperson defended its track record on knife crime.
"More knife-carrying criminals and repeat offenders are being sent to jail for longer than they were a decade ago, following our action to protect the public and make our streets safer.
"There are also more police officers than ever before in England and Wales who will help bring more criminals to justice," they added.