More than 1,000 knives were seized and 1,372 suspects have been arrested during a week long national knife crime crackdown. All of the police forces in England and Wales joined Operation Sceptre for a week of activity including weapons sweeps, knife amnesties and targeted stop and search – this was in March 2019.
Officers carried out a total of 3,771 weapon searches during which 342 knives were found and 10,215 were handed in as part of amnesties. Out of the 1,372m suspects who were detained, 516 were for knife crimes. Police also did test purchases from 689 shops and 130 of these failed by selling a knife to someone under the age of 18.
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Knife Crime, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Duncan Ball, said: “Operation Sceptre brought together all 44 police forces in England and Wales in a co-ordinated effort to take knives off our streets and bring those intent on using them for violence to justice.
“The increase in knife crime in recent months and years is very concerning and as a society we have a responsibility to act.
“Police officers work incredibly hard all year round to make our communities safer but this operation sends a clear message that there are consequences for carrying a knife or selling one illegally to a child.
“Police officers will work with other agencies to consider what support those arrested need to prevent them picking up a knife again.
“Police cannot tackle violence alone and this week of intensification involved work with schools, charities, the health service, Trading Standards and communities to eradicate knife crime and keep people safe.”
The number of knife crime recorded is at its highest since 2011 and rose by 6% last year.
At least two thirds of knifepoint robberies go unsolved according to an investigation. From the 15.588 crimes recorded by 22 police forces in 2018 no suspect was identified in 10,456 of the cases.
Figures show there were 252 killings involving a knife or sharp instrument in 2018. There were 18,950 assaults and 17,402 robberies where a knife or sharp object was used.
