Cambridgeshire Police Launch Week-Long Weapons Amnesty to Tackle Knife Crime

Law enforcement has commenced a seven-day amnesty period, offering individuals an opportunity to hand over weapons such as knives and machetes. Collection bins for weapons have been positioned at various police stations throughout Cambridgeshire, specifically at Peterborough’s Thorpe Wood station and Cambridge’s Parkside station. Concurrently with this amnesty, police officers and cadets will visit educational institutions county-wide and increase patrols in designated “hotspot” zones, focusing on individuals suspected of carrying knives. Over the last year, offenses related to weapon possession in Cambridgeshire decreased by 7%; however, Inspector Karl Secker stated that the police force aims to avoid complacency. Current legislation prohibits the sale of knives to individuals under 18 years of age, carrying a knife in public without a valid justification, and using any knife, including a Swiss Army device, in a menacing manner. An adult found carrying a knife faces a maximum penalty of four years’ imprisonment and a £5,000 fine. A prior amnesty conducted in May resulted in approximately 150 large knives, machetes, and other weapons being removed from the county’s streets. This initiative succeeded a government compensation program in September, which urged individuals to relinquish “zombie-style” weapons prior to their prohibition. Cambridgeshire Police reported that 19 zombie knives were surrendered during that campaign. Inspector Secker further stated: “Regular amnesties such as this continue to be part of our ongoing work to combat knife crime in the county.” He continued: “I’m pleased that possession of knife offences in Cambridgeshire continue to decrease, but we don’t want to get complacent.” “It’s important we continue our other work in this area, such as speaking to young people at schools about the dangers of knife crime.” “Very few people carry knives in our county. However, if you suspect a friend or family member does, please speak to them about the amnesty and encourage them to do the right thing. By disposing of any weapons, they will actually be safer, as well as removing the risk of being prosecuted.” Updates on Peterborough news are available via BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.