Latest news with #knifeamnesty
BBC News
28-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Chatteris boy hands in 24 knives during police weapons amnesty
A boy has handed in more than 20 weapons during a police force knife young person from Chatteris got in touch with officers to request a home visit to collect the unwanted weapons, according to Cambridgeshire Police. A spokesperson thanked the boy who had "confided in us that he didn't feel comfortable travelling to one of our knife amnesty bins to hand them in". It was part of a pilot scheme in which people unable to travel to a police station knife bin during the week-long amnesty could request a home visit instead. The annual Cambridgeshire Police amnesty offers people the chance to surrender weapons such as knives and also includes knuckledusters, extendable batons, curved swords and zombie weapons, which are now illegal to year, the force piloted home visits in some areas of Peterborough, Fenland and east Cambridgeshire. Those interested got in touch by email and an officer arranged a time for collection. Possession of weapons offences in Cambridgeshire have increased by 31%, from 312 between April 2023 and March 2024, to 408 between 2024-2025, police said.A record 370 items were handed in during the last amnesty in November, the force also undertook school visits during the week, while extra patrols carried out in "hotspot" areas, targeting those believed to be carrying knives. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- The Independent
Southport attack survivor says UK should ‘swap pointed kitchen knives for rounded ones'
Leanne Lucas, the yoga teacher who survived the Southport attack in July, is leading a campaign to moved to round-ended kitchen knives in the UK. Called 'Let's Be Blunt,' she has launched the initiative to coincide with national knife crime awareness week. The event has also been marked by the Government by the announcement of a new knife amnesty which will take place in July. Ms Lucas said: 'The horrific events in Southport on July 29 2024 changed my life forever. The pain and heartbreak that the families involved have had to endure is unimaginable. 'If I can help to ensure this doesn't happen to another family again, I will. When people ask if there is anything they can do to help me, my answer is clear and comes from the heart: swap your pointed kitchen knives for rounded ones. 'Pointed knives, readily available in most kitchens, pose a very real risk of being tragically used as weapons on our streets. A simple yet effective change, replacing our kitchen knives with rounded ones, can remove this potential for danger. 'If we all make a small change in our homes, together we can play a powerful role in preventing future tragedies before they unfold.' Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were murdered and eight other children and two adults were injured in the attack in Southport in July last year, carried out with a knife bought on Amazon while the killer was underage. The Let's Be Blunt campaign is set to be launched at a parliamentary reception on Wednesday evening. Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain programme on Wednesday, Ms Lucas said: 'I don't understand why I've got a pointed tip knife in my house that somebody could potentially use as a weapon if they would like to. 'I know people say it wouldn't happen to me, my child wouldn't do that. 'We all believed it wouldn't happen to us, but I think we've just got to open our eyes to the real world.' Actor Idris Elba has also called for a move away from pointed kitchen knives, and initial research by forensic scientist Leisa Nichols-Drew with a team at De Montfort University suggests that they may be safer. The researchers found that 10 different rounded knives did not cut everyday clothing such as cotton t-shirts and denim jeans in tests with 1,200 repeated stabbing motions, whereas two pointed blades did. News of the campaign came as the Home Office unveiled plans for knife crime activist Faron Paul to travel across the country in an amnesty van. The campaigner will tour London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester in July to help get rid of dangerous blades. The Home Office is also funding 37 new surrender bins, made by charity Word 4 Weapons, across the same locations where 45% of knife crime in England and Wales takes place. It comes as a ban on ninja swords campaigned for by the family of murdered teenager Ronan Kanda is set to come into force from August 1. It will be illegal to possess, sell, make or import the weapon as part of anti-knife crime measures introduced under Ronan's Law. Ronan's mother Pooja Kanda has campaigned for a law change since the death of her 16-year-old son, who was yards away from his Wolverhampton home when he was murdered with a ninja sword in 2022. Anyone handing in a ninja sword can claim compensation of £5 – the wholesale price of the weapon – if they return it to a designated police station. The new surrender bins have been purpose-built to cater for larger weapons such as ninja swords, and 33 will be placed across London, two in the West Midlands and two in Greater Manchester. Mr Paul's van is also specifically built for the task and will be supported by police officers on the move. The anti-knife crime campaigner and chief executive of FazAmnesty uses social media to raise awareness of the consequences of carrying knives after surviving two life-threatening attacks himself. Mr Paul said: 'The launch of the UK's first-ever amnesty van is a historic moment – not just for FazAmnesty, but for communities across the country. 'In partnership with the Home Office, this van allows us to take our mission directly to the people, giving them a safe, secure, and discreet way to hand in offensive weapons. 'It's more than just a vehicle – it's a symbol of hope, change, and second chances. 'This is about saving lives, protecting our communities, and breaking the cycle of violence.' It will be illegal to have a ninja sword after August 1, and anyone caught with one could face six months in prison, set to increase to two years under plans in the Crime and Policing Bill. Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said: 'This Government is taking a different approach to tackling knife crime – one rooted in partnership with those who have first-hand experience of this devastating crime. 'We know that young people involved in crime can have complex pasts and often deep-rooted mistrust in authority, and I truly believe it's this kind of collaboration that will save young lives.'
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
North Yorkshire knife bins collect 1,700 weapons since roll-out
More than 1,700 weapons have been deposited in knife amnesty bins across North Yorkshire since a county-wide roll-out, North Yorkshire Police bins were installed in public locations in February as part of a scheme jointly run by officers and North Yorkshire including hunting knives, daggers and machetes have been handed in "to prevent them falling into the wrong hands", the force Ch Insp Jon Sygrove said the impact of knife crime was "devastating", despite levels of it in the county being "around two-and-a-half-times below the national average". "We work 24 hours a day, every day of the year to make sure blades don't fall into the wrong hands and ensure they aren't carried as weapons," he encouraged anyone concerned about someone carrying a knife to report it to a family member, teacher, youth worker or police of the knives surrendered so far were legal to possess, but illegal to carry in public without a lawful purpose North Yorkshire Police force said anyone taking a knife to an amnesty bin would not face prosecution for possession. A bin first installed in Harrogate in 2023 as a pilot has been the most used, with 441 knives collected since bin had 212 blades left, with 128 and 125 in Skipton and Knaresborough least-used was Heworth (22), which is one of three bins in York, alongside Thirsk (24), Malton (24), Whitby (25) and Ripon (25).Until 25 May, additional temporary knife amnesty bins are in place at York, Scarborough, Malton, Northallerton, Harrogate and Skipton police part of a nationwide week of action, police officers will also visit schools and carry out extra patrols in "target areas". Heather Phillips, who is responsible for community safety at North Yorkshire Council, said: "No-one should have to deal with the awful consequences that knife crime brings."By surrendering bladed items you are helping to limit the chances of that happening to a relative, friend or someone where you live." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- BBC News
Cambridgeshire officers pilot home visits in knife amnesty week
A week-long knife amnesty will include home visits from officers for the first time, aimed at people who cannot access police station weapon Cambridgeshire Police amnesty offers people the chance to surrender weapons such as knives and machetes. It also includes knuckledusters, extendable batons, curved swords and zombie weapons, which are now illegal to of weapons offences in Cambridgeshire have increased by 31%, from 312 between April 2023 and March 2024, to 408 between 2024-2025, police said. A record 370 items were handed in during the last amnesty in November, the force added. The home visits are being piloted in some areas of Peterborough, Fenland and East Cambridgeshire. Those interested can get in touch with the force by email, and an officer will arrange a time for collection. Supt Paul Rogerson said: "Regular amnesties continue to be part of our ongoing work to combat knife crime in the county and I am pleased we have a new option available to people this year."Officers will also undertake school visits during the week, while extra patrols will be carried out in "hotspot" areas, targeting those believed to be carrying knives. Supt Rogerson said: "Although our statistics show possession of weapon offences have increased, this doesn't necessarily mean knife crime has done the same."The rise could be due to any number of reasons, for example more pro-active work by officers to tackle the issue, more stop searches, or others having more confidence to report those who carry weapons to us."He added that more than 160 knives were seized as a result of 215 extra stop searches last amnesty bins are in place at Thorpe Wood Police Station in Peterborough and Parkside Police Station in Cambridge. A weapons bin will also be available on 22 May at Sawston Police Station between 10:00 BST and 14:00 - and at Cambourne Police Station between 14:00 and 18:00. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
