Weapons amnesty

Police are holding a weapons amnesty allowing people to hand in knives and other items without being prosecuted.

As well as knives, the amnesty will cover items such as knuckledusters, extendable batons, curved swords and zombie knives that have been made illegal to own.

The week-long amnesty starts on Monday (13 May) with bins at Thorpe Wood Police Station in Peterborough and Parkside Police Station in Cambridge.

There will also be bins at Cambourne Police Station on Tuesday (14 May) from 7am until 4pm, Histon Police Station on Wednesday (15 May) from 10am until 12pm and Sawston Police Station from 10am until 12pm.

The weapons amnesty forms part of the national ‘Operation Sceptre’ week of action. It will also include extra police patrols in ‘hotspot’ areas, targeting those believed to be carrying knives, work in schools and with retailers selling knives. The week will be supported by officers, Specials and police cadets.

In 2023/24 possession of knife offences decreased in Cambridgeshire by five per cent.

The week-long initiative is part of ‘Operation Guardian’ – the Constabulary’s ongoing strategy to combat knife crime in the county.

Where knives are concerned, it is illegal to:

- sell a knife of any kind to anyone under 18 years old.

- carry a knife in public without good reason - unless it’s a knife with a folding blade 3 inches long (7.62 cm) or less, eg a Swiss Army knife

- carry, buy or sell any type of banned knife

- use any knife in a threatening way (even a legal knife, such as a Swiss Army knife)

The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and a fine of £5,000.

Inspector Karl Secker said: “This weapons amnesty provides people with another excellent opportunity to dispose of knives and other items – including those that are now illegal to own.

“Nearly 200 weapons were surrendered during our last amnesty in November, so it is clear there is an ongoing need to provide opportunities such as this.

“Regular amnesties are an important part of our efforts to tackle knife crime, but they aren’t the sole solution. That’s why we take a multifaceted approach, with school visits, community engagement and other activities such as targeting habitual knife carriers and working with retailers.

“The reality is that very few people carry knives. However, if you know a friend or family member does, please encourage them to make use of the amnesty next week. By disposing of it, they will be safer, as well as removing the risk of being prosecuted.”

Visit the dedicated section of this website for more information on knife crime and to access a list of the banned items.