NEARLY 400 knives were handed in to police during the week-long knife amnesty held earlier this year.

Devon and Cornwall Police supported the amnesty, which was part of the ongoing national knife crime reduction initiative Operation Sceptre, which ran from February 12 to 18.

All of the knives and bladed weapons surrendered anonymously were destroyed and are now out of circulation and no longer at risk of falling into the wrong hands. 

The variety of the 390 items handed in at police enquiry offices across the force area was extraordinary – from kukris to bayonets, from samurai-style swords to machetes, along with a random assortment of kitchen knives and cleavers, a knuckle duster and a bizarrely labelled “hunting knife”.

Chief Superintendent Glen Mayhew said: “We are very pleased with the response we’ve had from the public to this knife amnesty.  People have taken the time and trouble to hand in potentially dangerous items which have now been destroyed. 

“People who carry knives for no good reason risk arrest. If a knife is used in a confrontation the balance of probability is that the person carrying it is highly likely to be injured from it themselves.”

There are very few good reasons to carry a knife, and very clear laws on what type of bladed weapons are banned and on who can buy them.

You can read current government advice and legislation on selling, buying and carrying knives at: www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives .

Outside of amnesty periods, people with unwanted knives such as domestic kitchen blades can dispose of them in household waste as long as they are packaged securely so as to avoid handling injuries. Otherwise they can be deposited along with other bladed items in the metal recycling skip at local reclamation facilities.

If anyone has any queries over bladed items and how to dispose of them, or is concerned about transporting them, please call into one of the Devon and Cornwall police enquiry offices, the locations and opening times of which can be found via the website: www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/contact/police-enquiry-offices .

Alternatively you can contact your local policing team via the website: www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/your-area or email: [email protected] or have a LiveChat with one of the police contact centre staff. You will find the LiveChat widget in the corner of the Devon and Cornwall Police home page website: www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/contact .