Police call on public to ‘surrender their knives’

Warwickshire Police is appealing for people to hand in their knives as part of a one
week knife surrender starting today (Monday, 26 April) and ending on Sunday, 2
May.

The campaign will be running as part of the national Operation Sceptre knife
awareness campaign, bringing forces together in a coordinated period of
intensification to tackle knife crime.

To support the campaign, Warwickshire will have knife bins located at the following police stations:
- Leamington Spa
- Nuneaton
- Rugby

Many knives are held in innocence or ignorance of their illegality. The surrender
gives people the chance to dispose of the knife anonymously with no questions
asked, by simply dropping it into a knife bin at their local station.

During the campaign, those surrendering knives will not have to give any personal details and will not face prosecution for carrying them. However, the force will carry out an investigation and seek to prosecute if they believe a knife has been used to commit a criminal offence.

Throughout the campaign, local policing teams will be running events raising
awareness of the dangers of knife crime. They will also maintain a zero-tolerance approach to people carrying knives who will be arrested as normal and appropriate action will be taken.

Superintendent Mike Smith said: “Knife crime can have a devastating effect on
people’s lives and one incident of knife crime is one too many.

“Knife crime not only impacts upon victims but also their family, friends, and the wider community.

“People have one week in which they can anonymously deposit their knives or
blades into a surrender bin at a local police station. I would urge people to take this opportunity and help prevent further tragedies.”

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