See the shocking haul of swords and large knives handed in during Cambridgeshire weapons amnesty

A record number of weapons including swords and large knives were handed to Cambridgeshire police as part of an amnesty.

Typically officers see around 100 weapons handed in during the action, but on this occasion some 370 items were surrendered.

Amnesty bins were located in Cambridge, Peterborough and South Cambridgeshire, with an additional collection in Ely recovering 25 weapons.

Of the 370 weapons surrendered, 227 were handed in at Thorpe Wood police station in Peterborough and 139 at Parkside in Cambridge. The remainder were surrendered in South Cambridgeshire.

Officers also conducted 25 school visits, 15 test purchases with retailers, weapon sweeps and the arrest of high risk offenders resulting in weapons being seized.

Inspector Karl Secker said: “This is a fantastic result and clear evidence there is an ongoing need to provide people with an opportunity to surrender weapons.

“Thank you to everyone who handed items in and to the officers who supported the week of action.

“Amnesties are not the sole answer to tackling knife crime, but they are an important ongoing tactic.

“Working with young people is also vital, so I’m pleased we managed to visit a number of schools across the county during the week.

“We will continue to do all we can to tackle knife crime as we aim to make the county even safer.”

In the past year, possession of weapon offences in Cambridgeshire have decreased from 367 between October 2022 and September 2023 to 343 for the same period in 2023/24.

The action was also part of the national Sceptre initiative, which is also part of Operation Guardian – the Cambridgeshire Constabulary ongoing strategy to combat knife crime in the county.

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

Police and crime commissioner Darryl Preston said: “If we manage to take just one knife off the streets, we could potentially save a life. The results of last week’s knife amnesty are encouraging, however it is essential we continue to work together to prevent this abhorrent crime from happening in the first place.

“As chair of the countywide High Harms Board, I continue to lead the partnership response to serious violence, which has a devastating impact on the lives of victims, their families, and the wider community.”