Lancashire Police launch knife amnesty

People tempted to carry knives on the streets of Lancashire have been urged to hand their blades over to police '˜for their own safety'.
AMNESTY: Chief Inspector Mark BainesAMNESTY: Chief Inspector Mark Baines
AMNESTY: Chief Inspector Mark Baines

As part of a national operation to tackle knife crime, the constabulary is launching a knife surrender from today, with members of the public being given the chance to anonymously dispose of weapons.

There will be special bins at eight designated police stations and anyone will be able to anonymously dispose of a weapon, whether it belongs to them, a friend or a relative.

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Chief Inspector Mark Baines, force co-ordinator for the surrender, said: “A knife is a lethal weapon and even one on Lancashire’s streets is one too many.

“While we do not have a massive problem with knife crime across the county and the number of crimes has reduced by a quarter since 2010, the consequences of carrying a knife in public are potentially devastating.”

Chief inspector Baines is pleased to see knife crime figures in Lancashire dropping – reported incidents have fallen from 1061 in 2010/11 to 781 in 2015/16.

But he believes more could be done.

“The figures are falling,” he said. “But one knife crime is one too many.

“Let me make this clear to those tempted to carry a blade.

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“If you are carrying a knife you are in more danger, that is a fact. Do the sensible thing and hand it over.”

In the 2014 amnesty more than 800 knives were handed in.

Chief Insp Baines said: “Please use the next couple of weeks to hand over your weapons without fear of prosecution, and don’t run the risk of ending up with a criminal record, a life-changing or even worse a potentially fatal injury.”

Knife bins will be available at around the county.

The surrender runs for two weeks.