Swords and machetes seized with 82 arrests made in Knife Crime Action Week

Friday 24 May 2024

Dangerous weapons, including swords, have been banned from the streets of West Yorkshire as part of a national week of action to reduce knife crime.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police’s Operation Jemlock team attended 25 addresses in Leeds Bradford and Wakefield last week, working with the UK Border Agency to intercept knives, swords and bolts ordered by residents.

The operation was a significant part of the week of action in which police made 82 arrests related to knife crime.

Fourteen people were dealt with by police in the joint operations, which were just one element of an area of ​​activity in West Yorkshire.

In Wakefield, police carried out weapons checks in areas where knives may be hidden and tested buy-busts where youths tried to buy knives from the son on behalf of the force.

On a positive note, all 14 retailers visited complied with the legislation and did not serve test shoppers.

Officers in Wakefield and Calderdale also held engagement events to warn residents and young people about the dangers of guns.

Calderdale Police also seized weapons, including six zombie knives, two machetes and two hatchets, as well as Class A drugs in an operation in Halifax. Two men have been arrested for possession with intent to supply drugs and weapons offences.

Meanwhile, Kirklees Police carried out checks in rural areas of Dewsbury and Huddersfield for bladed weapons and also attended schools to carry out knife crime prevention activities.

Operations in Huddersfield Town Center saw officers from the Huddersfield Town Center Proactive Team seize knives, baseball bats and drugs, as well as arrests in two drug sniffing dog operations.

Colleagues in Leeds have also carried out a series of extended patrols to prevent knife crime, as well as purchasing their own test.

Neighborhood police and specialist Jemlock officers have also been active in schools to try and raise awareness among young people about the dangers of knives.

Chief Inspector James Kitchen from Operation Jemlock said: “Scepter Weeks continue to be a great opportunity for us to focus resources across the force to support significant amounts of ongoing work to reduce knife crime.

“Proactive patrols, arrest operations and other activities in this latest Scepter saw officers make over 80 arrests and carry out sweeps in public areas for discarded and hidden blades, with some dangerous weapons recovered.

“Operations with the UK Border Agency are particularly valuable because, by working closely with them, we can track illegal weapons being brought into the country and prevent these dangerous and illegal items from ever leaving the streets.

“There is no justifiable reason why anyone would want to own a knife or a vacuum cleaner and we have taken action against people who try to import these products”

He added: “I want to thank my colleagues and policing partners for all their support during Scepter Week. Results such as the test purchase in Wakefield, where every store we visited complied with the legislation by not selling knives to minors, were really encouraging and show the progress we are making.

“As I said, knife crime has been stable and has started to fall in West Yorkshire and it’s really important that we continue to work in partnership with communities to make the carrying of bladed weapons unacceptable in society.”

Director of the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), Detective Chief Superintendent Lee Berry said: “Some excellent results have been achieved in West Yorkshire during the latest Scepter and this work perfectly complements the significant amount of crime prevention work with knives in progress with partners. in communities.

“Nearly 25,000 young people under the age of 24 have been involved in the last year alone through our partner programs.

“This work and the support of communities will be essential in the long term to deter young people from ever wanting to carry weapons of the type officers recovered in this operation.”