‘Should shock us all’: Disturbing discovery made in Greater Manchester children’s toy shop… something has to change

Two Greater Manchester MPs have called for action after a Manchester Evening News the investigation revealed how easy it is to buy a fearsome weapon in the region. Reporters were able to buy a 13-inch knife from Kitraco gift shop in Stockport and a pistol crossbow from Prince Toys in Bury.

In selling the items, none of the shops broke the law and Bury and Stockport councils said they had no incidents or complaints pending about either business. But the investigation has sparked a debate over whether the law should be tightened to stamp out the sale of the guns in question, amid worrying levels of knife crime across the country.

Afzal Khan, the Labor MP for Gorton, who will contest the new Rusholme constituency in the general election on July 4, called for a ban on these weapons. He told the MEN: “Knives, machetes and guns are far too readily available and the onus to tackle this has fallen squarely on the Tory government who have sat on their hands and done nothing.

READ MORE: ‘I usually sell them for £89 but for you… £50’: A horrifying find in a Greater Manchester children’s toy shop

“The Tories have announced a ban on the sale of these guns at least a dozen times without actually taking any action. Knife crime is one of the biggest scourges of our society and has claimed the lives of many young people in Manchester in recent years.

“I am delighted that through the work of the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit, the rate of knife crime has steadily fallen, but any life lost is one too many. A Labor government would prioritize safety on our streets and ban it. about the sale of these dangerous weapons”.

New legislation to ban “zombie-style knives and machetes” was introduced by the government in January as part of the Criminal Justice Bill. Home Secretary James Cleverly said at the time: “Knife crime continues to claim precious lives and I am determined to end this senseless violence.

“We need to stop these dangerous knives ending up on our streets and in the hands of criminals. We cannot let them be sold to children and we must offer young people a way out of violence”.

The bill did not pass through Parliament. Now the July 4 election appears to stand in the way of the legislation. Rebecca Long-Bailey, who is standing for re-election as MP for Salford, insists legislation must go further to tackle dangerous weapons.

“The fact that you can get things like knives and crossbows over the counter in a matter of minutes in a place like a toy shop should shock us all,” she told the MEN “It is right that there are calls for a review of laws relating to the possession and sale of things such as crossbows and a wider range of non-functional weapons, and to tighten existing rules on muzzle and length.

“But we can go further. Many banned knives continue to be sold where young people can buy them and have them delivered to their homes. Introducing criminal penalties on tech executives who allow knives to be sold on their online marketplace is welcome, but we need a rapid review of online knife sales from point of purchase to delivery, looking to strengthen identity and age checks.

“There needs to be a proper and serious intervention. Knife crime should concern everyone, not just young people. The message I want to get across is that everyone needs to work together on this, bringing everyone together to say ‘how do we challenge knife crime’. ‘ it’s important.

“Knife crime destroys lives, devastates families and creates fear in our communities. We owe it to the victims and their loved ones to come up with practical and preventive solutions”.

MEN readers have shared their concerns about guns available in shops across Greater Manchester. On our site, one person wrote: “Since when does anyone need a 13 and a half inch blade?”

Another said: “Any northern seaside town like one of these shops right in front. It is totally baffling how this can be allowed.” A third wrote: “Unbelievable that I can walk into a store and buy a Rambo knife or a samurai sword. Why do these people want even over 18? They should be banned.”

On Facebook, Barbara Ryan wrote: “The law needs to be changed. (Too) soft this country”. Bobby Mustapha said: “They should start banning these places with knife crime going up to the roof! Confused…”

Dave Harrison added: “We live in a society where we constantly criticize our police, yet we openly sell cheap guns to our public. If that’s what we want, that’s fine. But there is a reason why knife crime and violent crime is a problem in our cities. We support the arms suppliers while berating our protectors.

When contacted by the MEN, the owner of Kitraco said he “follows the law” and only sells the items to people over the age of 18. “It’s legal in the UK,” he added. “A lot of people buy knives, campers and military people. I have to see ID. If I have a doubt, I don’t sell it. I turn some away when I’m not satisfied.”

Prince Toys has been contacted for comment. The MEN understands the shop’s position is that it has legal permission to sell the guns for “survival and outdoor purposes” and that it ensures staff ask for ID from customers who look under 25.