Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has seized 281 knives and made 7 knife related arrests during the national knife crime week known as Op Sceptre.
Tackling knife crime and serious violence is a key priority for the Force, and Op Sceptre, which is held twice a year, is an opportunity for efforts to be intensified to make communities safer.
The week of action ran between May 13-19, and hundreds of knives were taken off the streets through the surrender bins, knife sweeps, knife arches, stop and searches, and warrants.
Knife Surrender
There were 25 Knife surrender bins installed around the districts to provide a safe way for the public to anonymously dispose of knives and offensive weapons, as a result 264 weapons were disposed of.
In Eastleigh and Isle of Wight, innovative schemes were set up whereby officers visited addresses to collect banned knives and weapons from individuals who were unable to access a surrender bin.
A full list of permanent surrender bin locations can be found here.
Knife Sweeps
Several knife sweeps were carried out in local areas such as parks and other open spaces where officers will check for any hidden or discarded knives or weapons, which will then be recovered.
Overall, nine knives were found as part of these knife sweeps and were recovered, making the streets in our communities safer.
In Eastleigh, knife sweeps took place in Leigh Road Recreation Ground, Grantham Green, and Netley Recreational Ground using metal detectors and other equipment.
A full list of the banned offensive weapons can be found online at Selling, buying and carrying knives and weapons - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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