South Devon Knife Amnesty Success

The knife amnesty in South Devon came to an end on Sunday 29 January 2012. This was part of Operation Crook, a knife crime initiative led by DS Chris Tapley of Torbay CID.

The amnesty lasted 11 days with 'knife bins' at Torquay & Newton Abbot police stations, 120 were handed in including world war one bayonets, machetes, and a number of flick, butterfly and gravity knives have also been recovered. These are illegal and classified as offensive weapons.

Operation Crook is now working with partner agencies in South Devon in an enforcement phase. What this means is that officers will be proactively working, alongside local licensees and the council to ensure that pubs and clubs are safe places to be.

Detective Sergeant Chris Tapley
 
Police are encouraging licensed premises to utilise their door staff to routinely scan customers for knives as a condition of entry.
 
Police across South Devon will carry out high visibility and plain clothes patrols in the coming weeks to target problem licensed premises and individuals who habitually carry knives. If you have information on knife crime please contact Devon and Cornwall Police on 101 or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on  0800 555111.