Knife amnesty to cut crime

10:02am Monday 8th October 2001

BROMLEY police are piloting a knives amnesty scheme which aims to cut crime in the borough.

The project will run throughout October with special bins placed at Bromley, Penge, Orpington, West Wickham and Beckenham police stations in an attempt to encourage knife carriers to give up their weapons anonymously.

During the amnesty period officers from the Youth Justice Unit will talk to school pupils and college students about the consequences of carrying weapons.

A poster campaign informing residents of the amnesty has also being launched to encourage people to hand their weapons in.

Police are also planning to crack down on street robbery and mobile phone theft and will be holding stop-and-search operations in the borough.

The knife amnesty is the latest in a host of projects being unveiled by police.

Last month Bromley police's Youth Justice Unit joined forces with the Community Safety Partnership in a bid to tackle the rising tide of graffiti.

The move to combat knife crime comes just days after five youths appeared at Bromley Magistrates' Court charged in connection with a number of stabbings which brought chaos to Bromley town centre in July.

Chief Inspector Ragna Tulloch said: “The aim of this amnesty is to get as many dangerous weapons off the streets of Bromley as soon as possible. We will also be speaking to young people warning them of the dangers and consequences of carrying offensive weapons.

Martin King, the football coach of stab victim Danny Wandangu, has welcomed the move. He has been campaigning for months for a knife amnesty.

He said: “We hope and pray this will make a difference. If it saves one life it will have worked. If we can get knives off the streets more deaths can be prevented.”