553 knives have been surrendered by the public across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, as part of a national police operation to tackle knife crime, this figure is four times the number handed in, compared to the last week of intensification in May, all in the aid of Op Sceptre.
Op Sceptre ran last week between 13th and 19th November, with the total number of recovered and seized weapons and knives reaching 637, bolstered by direct police activity such as stop and search and pre-planned knife crime operations, including partnership activity such as knife sweeps and knife arches.
Highlights during the week of action
Isle of Wight: A female habitual knife carrier stop-checked in a serious violence hotspot and found in possession of a knife. Charged with the offence and appearing in court on 28th November (*66401)
Isle of Wight: Operation UCHEE is an op initially set-up between Border Force and the Met Police to manage the importation of illegal knives, but it’s now rolled out nationally. Two Under 18s, issued with and agreed to a community resolution order in connection to ordering knives online.
Portsmouth: Two men arrested for a knife-point robbery by the Priority Crime Team. One large knife was seized. One bailed for two robberies, the other charged with robbery and possession of a knife and remanded in custody. (*68192)
Portsmouth: One wanted male, a habitual knife carrier, was arrested for drug offences. A house search revealed two firearms and three knives. The 20-year-old from Waterlooville has been bailed for six offences, and remanded to court on two fail to appear warrants. (*45035)
Gosport: Male arrested, charged and remanded in custody for possession of offences weapons in private, house search revealed 17 knives and offensive weapons. (*72587)
Winchester: One arrested following a report of knife-point robbery. Youth arrested and released on conditional bail (*62689).
North Hampshire: Officers in the north of our county conducted 21 test purchase operations. Retailers in Andover, Aldershot, Farnborough, Basingstoke, Fleet and Yateley had a visit and all passed the Challenge 25 – where anybody trying to purchase a knife who appears under 25 will be required to provide proof of age on buying knives.
Education: Our education and partnership team delivered sessions on knife crime into schools and colleges across the county. Romsey School had 450/500 pupils and parents participate in a workshop putting the safety and wellbeing of their students first. (link to video)
Change in legislation
The Offensive Weapons Act has had a recent change in legislation, banning the possession in private of any weapon set out in the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Since 1988 it has been an offence to manufacture, sell, hire, offer to sell or hire, possess for the purposes of sale or hire, import, lend or give weapons to which that section applies, and this section makes unlawful the simple possession of these.
Jenkins: Illegal to possess dangerous weapons in private
Serious Violence lead for the Constabulary, Chief Superintendent Clare Jenkins, said,
“The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 introduced tough new measures to strengthen law enforcement’s response to violent crime.
“The act makes it illegal to possess dangerous weapons in private, including knuckledusters, zombie knives and death star knives, and you will soon have to verify you are over 18 to buy bladed items from the internet.
“These figures for surrendered knives and weapons may sound alarming to the public, but I’d like to offer reassurance that we are tackling knife crime with a zero-tolerance attitude, and the education and awareness of the updated law will have had a large influence on this. The surrender bins provide a safe way for our communities to help clear our towns and cities of offensive weapons and the risk of them falling into the wrong hands, assisting us in tackling serious violence by disposing safely of weapons that are illegal and intent on causing serious injury.”
A full list of the banned offensive weapons can be found online at Selling, buying and carrying knives and weapons.
Nicholson: Taking knives off the streets is another key priority for us
Tactical lead for knife crime, Inspector Sarah Nicholson spoke about the week,
“Op Sceptre week of action is where as a Force we focus the majority of our resources towards intensifying our activities on tackling knife crime and removing weapons off our streets.
“Hampshire and the Isle of Wight upholds a zero-tolerance approach towards offensive weapons and knife crime, and this week enables us to showcase the wider work we do in preventing and protecting our communities through education and early intervention.
“Policing alone will not solve the issue of knife crime. Policing deals with the symptoms and there is always a place for enforcement, we will continue to focus our commitment and priorities on doing what we can, alongside the work our violence reduction partners do in combating serious violence in our towns and cities.
“Taking knives off the streets is another key priority for us, and although the week has finished we will continue to include the deployment of metal-detecting knife arches at different locations, and knife sweeps led by each of the force’s neighbourhood policing teams where necessary and act as a deterrent to knife-related crime.
“Officers will be carrying out visible patrols of violence hotspot areas in your communities, whilst the knife surrender bins will now remain so that people can anonymously dispose of unwanted knives at different police stations and other locations across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight until end of the year.”
Surrender bins
Full list of surrender bin locations can be found here Op Sceptre 2023 | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
We want to encourage communities and young people to report information about weapon-enabled crime and other offences either by reporting it to police on 101 or by giving that information anonymously through independent charity, Crimestoppers or their under 18s anonymous reporting service, Fearless which can be accessed via Fearless.org or by calling 0800 555 111.
For those parents and professionals concerned about knife crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, please visit www.safe4me.co.uk for advice, help and support.
Fareham College supported the week of action against knife crime, ensuring their pupils are equipped with the knowledge to keep them safer. The college designed and built knife boxes for our education and engagement team to use in our workshops aimed at raising awareness of the topic, dispelling myths, the consequences of carrying a knife and providing advice and support for those concerned about knife crime and the associated violence.
News shared by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, in their own words. Ed
