Dangerous swords and knives handed in to police

A police chief has praised the public’s response to Operation Sceptre – a coordinated effort held last week to clampdown on knife crime and violence in communities.

Officers at Northumbria Police carried out 26 weapons sweeps scanning areas for any dangerous items, visited 39 separate schools to educate pupils about the risks which come with carrying a knife, as well as visiting dozens of antique weapons collectors and enthusiasts.

Members of the public also turned out to hand over a total of 218 items into red surrender bins placed at stations across the Force area.

A total of 364 knives and other items have been taken into police possession through the combination of voluntary surrenders, visits to collectors and enforced seizures.

Assistant Chief Constable Neil Hutchison praised the positive response to the initiative, saying it was great to see communities working with the Force to prevent and raise awareness of the devastating harm caused by knife crime.

He said: “There is no doubt that knife crime ruins lives, which is why we are determined to educate the public, and in particular young people, about the consequences which come with carrying a weapon.

“Our stance on knife crime and serious violence is unequivocal – it has absolutely no place in our region.

“This week of action has been extremely successful and we want to thank the public for their cooperation.

"We know the majority of people would never dream of carrying these items around with them but they will now be disposed of safely, ensuring they never run the risk of falling into the wrong hands.”

He added: “The activity undertaken as part of this initiative very much builds on the proactive work which takes place throughout the year to reduce the impact of knife crime.

“Thankfully, here in the North East we do see lower levels of knife crime than comparative areas of the country but we are not complacent – and are committed to playing our part in ensuring the streets we live and work remain safe.

“We would urge anybody who has any information about people going out with a weapon to come forward. Share that information with police, so we can act now.”