Operation Scepter aims to tackle violent knife crime

Permanent knife bins have been installed around the county as part of a two-week campaign of heavy police action to tackle knife crime.

Operation Sceptre, backed by Wiltshire Police, began on Monday. The initiative takes place twice a year and aims to raise awareness of knife crime and the police response in detecting and preventing it.

The new knife bin, set up in Devizes, is an anonymous way of encouraging people to safely dispose of any knives or weapons they carry.

A neighborhood police officer told the BBC that children carry knives out of “fear”.

As well as giving people the chance to hand in their unwanted blades, Operation Scepter is also using the next two weeks to highlight the work Wiltshire Police is doing to tackle violent crime.

Police figures show that 326 cases of knife crime were recorded in Wiltshire and Swindon in 2023. This shows a 15% increase on the previous year – when 278 offenses were recorded.

Wiltshire Police said it plans to present real stories about the impact of knife crime on young people by partnering with Escapeline – an organization funded by South West Crime Commissioners to educate people about the dangers of county lines and the exploitation of criminal gangs .

“Bins are crucial”

Rhys is a youth mentor who works for the organisation. He spent 10 years being exploited by county gangs and now uses his story to connect with young people and help them understand the pitfalls of being caught up in a world of criminal activity.

He told the BBC that the youngest child to use Escapeline was six, adding that the maximum age for knife murders is around 14.

He said raising the age people can buy knives to 25 would be “essential”.

“If you go on certain social media channels, there are people who are putting themselves in the firing line and will collect knives from young people,” he said.

“I don’t think it should be up to members of society to do that. Trash cans and bin locations are crucial.

“Where there are drugs and violence there is always knife crime.

“They all go hand in hand. If there is an increase in knife crime, I can almost guarantee you there will be an increase in drugs, other violence and anti-social behaviour. They are all interconnected.”

Working closely with partner agencies, Wiltshire Police is supporting Operation Scepter which works with schools, carrying out safety checks for hidden or discarded knives, high visibility patrols and raising awareness of Challenge 25 in places that sell knives.

Inspector Ben Huggins, neighborhood policing inspector for Devizes, Marlborough and Pewsey, said the drop-in bins helped break the cycle of knife crime.

“What we do know is that the fear of seeing someone with a knife can in turn lead to a young person carrying a knife themselves. This is part of the cycle we need to break.

“Having the surrender bin here is one tool in our arsenal to really support that disruption and provide a mechanism.”

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