MORE than 140 knives have been taken off the streets of Redditch following West Mercia’s knife surrender campaign.
In total, more than 600 knives were handed in across the region as part of the knife surrender campaign, including 142 knives in Redditch, 29 knives and one meat cleaver in Stratford, 23 knives, two machetes, one samurai sword, one flick knife, one knuckle duster and six bullets in Nuneaton, and 10 knives in Worcester.
The four-week campaign, which ended on Monday (October16) gave anyone with a knife the opportunity to surrender it anonymously at police stations around the region. This was part of Operation Sceptre, a national campaign to reduce knife crime and the number of families affected by knife crime.
All the knives surrendered will be delivered to the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry where they will be used to build a plinth for a 20-foot high guardian angel sculpture in memory of those who have lost their life to knife crime.
Redditch-based Chief Inspector Sharon Canning said: “The streets of the Warwickshire and West Mercia policing areas are safer following this campaign. Each knife surrendered represents one less chance of another life being ended or ruined by knife crime.
“As well as taking more than 600 knives off the streets this operation has also given us the opportunity to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime and the risk of carrying a knife. Hopefully, in future, people will think twice about carrying a knife.
“Carrying a knife gives people a false sense of security, if you carry one you are more likely to get stabbed yourself.
“Some people are also under the misconception you can stab someone ‘safely’. However, one stab to any part of the body can kill. If you hit an artery in the arm or leg it can be just as serious as stabbing someone in the chest or neck.”
Possession of a knife carries can carry a prison sentence of up to four years. If you stab someone and they die you face a life sentence serving a minimum of 25 years.
