Knife Amnesty Goes Mobile

An amnesty which saw nearly 1000 knives handed in in just six weeks is being taken out to other areas.

People have been able to dispose of any knives anonymously at three points. 997 blades were put into the secure bins outside police stations in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Lowestoft for the last six weeks.

17-year-old Holly Watson who became an anti-knife campaigner after her brother was killed when he was stabbed in Sudbury in 2009, says “I think it’s brilliant for that many items to already be handed in. I hope it continues and encourages others to bin a blade.”

Suffolk’s Chief Constable Simon Ash said, “Every knife deposited in one of the amnesty bins is a potential tragedy prevented. Already Holly’s story has had an impact on people who have decided to bin a blade and I hope more people understand the dangers of carrying a knife.” The police say 0.5% of crimes in Suffolk in the past year involved a knife.

Now the knife amnesty is going mobile over the next year, so people can get rid of any blades they might have at eleven places.

Two red mobile amnesty bins will be at other police stations across Suffolk, starting on 1st February.

They'll be at the following locations:

FEBRUARY AND MARCH - Haverhill Police Station on Swan Lane, and Leiston.

APRIL - Woodbridge and Stowmarket.

MAY AND JUNE - Felixstowe and Stowmarket.

JULY - Halesworth and Newmarket.

AUGUST - Beccles and Sudbury.

SEPTEMBER - Kessingland and Sudbury.

OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER - Leiston and Mildenhall.