Knife bin roll-out sees 1,700 weapons surrendered

More than 1,700 weapons have been deposited in knife amnesty bins across North Yorkshire since a county-wide roll-out, North Yorkshire Police said.

The bins were installed in public locations in February as part of a scheme jointly run by officers and North Yorkshire Council.

Weapons including hunting knives, daggers and machetes have been handed in "to prevent them falling into the wrong hands", the force said.

Det Ch Insp Jon Sygrove said the impact of knife crime was "devastating", despite levels of it in the county being "around two-and-a-half-times below the national average".

"We work 24 hours a day, every day of the year to make sure blades don't fall into the wrong hands and ensure they aren't carried as weapons," he added.

He encouraged anyone concerned about someone carrying a knife to report it to a family member, teacher, youth worker or police officer.

Many of the knives surrendered so far were legal to possess, but illegal to carry in public without a lawful purpose North Yorkshire Police added.

The force said anyone taking a knife to an amnesty bin would not face prosecution for possession.

A bin first installed in Harrogate in 2023 as a pilot has been the most used, with 441 knives collected since February.

Tadcaster's bin had 212 blades left, with 128 and 125 in Skipton and Knaresborough respectively.

The least-used was Heworth (22), which is one of three bins in York, alongside Thirsk (24), Malton (24), Whitby (25) and Ripon (25).

Until 25 May, additional temporary knife amnesty bins are in place at York, Scarborough, Malton, Northallerton, Harrogate and Skipton police stations.

As part of a nationwide week of action, police officers will also visit schools and carry out extra patrols in "target areas".

Heather Phillips, who is responsible for community safety at North Yorkshire Council, said: "No-one should have to deal with the awful consequences that knife crime brings.

"By surrendering bladed items you are helping to limit the chances of that happening to a relative, friend or someone where you live."

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