Weapon amnesty to be held in Peterborough

In July this year the Offensive Weapons Act was updated, making items such as knuckledusters, telescopic truncheons, curved swords and zombie knives illegal to own even if kept on private property. Previously, weapons such as these were only illegal when carried in public.

From Monday, police are holding an amnesty allowing residents to give the weapons up without fear of prosectution.

The week-long amnesty, which starts on Monday (15 November), will encourage people to hand in items on the banned list, as well as any knives. However , the amnesty does not include firearms.

Bins will be located at Thorpe Wood Police Station in Peterborough and Parkside Police Station in Cambridge.

The amnesty forms part of the national ‘Operation Sceptre’ week of action. A broad range of policing activity will take place during the week, including a heightened police presence in ‘hotspot’ areas, targeting people who are believed to carry weapons, engagement with schools and working with retailers who sell knives, as well as completing test purchases. The week will be supported by officers, Specials and police cadets.

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

Possession of an article with a blade or point offences decreased by 17% in Cambridgeshire in 2020/21 compared to figures for the previous financial year.

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 Matt Snow said: “Originally this amnesty was only going to include knives, but given the change in legislation we made the decision to widen the approach so offensive weapons on the new list can be disposed of safely and without fear of prosecution.

“By disposing of weapons like this you’ll be helping to make our communities safer and you could even save a life.

“We’re also urging the family and friends of people who carry or own these weapons to encourage them to make use of the amnesty. By doing so you could prevent them from being prosecuted.

“This amnesty is part of our ongoing efforts to tackle knife crime in the county as we aim to make Cambridgeshire an even safer place.”

More information on the Offensive Weapons Act and what items have been banned is available on the knife crime section of Cambridgehsire police’s website