Hand in your knives at Harborough police station as part of a special amnesty across Leicestershire

People are being urged to hand in knives at Market Harborough police station this week as a special amnesty on blades is being staged across Leicestershire.

You are being given the chance to surrender knives at the town’s police station on Fairfield Road as Leicestershire Police gets behind Operation Sceptre.

Operation Sceptre is a week-long police drive is aimed at tackling knife crime all over Britain.

Officers in Harborough and across Leicestershire will be carrying out a wide range of activities including:

- Visiting schools

- Using a knife arch in key locations

- Carrying out knife ‘sweeps’ in parks and elsewhere

- Visiting known knife carriers

- Checking that shops selling knives are challenging anyone they suspect to be under 18 and ensuring knives are being displayed in a safe and secure way.

Teachers are also being encouraged to sign up to one of a series of anti-knife crime digital workshops for secondary schools.

The free one-hour workshops will cover a variety of knife crime information.

People are also being asked to hand over any unwanted knives and blades safely at special amnesty bins located at the front counters of police stations such as Market Harborough’s.

The bins allow anybody to dispose of knives without the fear of being punished unless it is found to have been used for a criminal act.

Det Ch Insp Gavin Drummond, of the force’s Violence and Complex Crime Unit, said: “Whilst the vast majority of people don't carry knives or get involved with knife crime, we are working hard, with schools, hospitals, charities and other partner agencies, to make sure knives don’t make it on to our streets.

“Carrying knives or other weapons do not keep people safe.

“People who carry a knife put themselves in much greater danger and more likely to become involved in a violent situation and get injured,” warned Det Ch Insp Drummond.

“Knife crime has a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities and that is why it is so important to educate people about the dangers of carrying a knife and arrest those who refuse to listen.”

Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews said: “Every knife or bladed weapon handed in is one less potential weapon on the streets.

“Knives, as we all know, can cause fatal injuries in the wrong hands.

“So, please, take this opportunity to hand in any such weapons.

“Urge family and friends to do the same because carrying a knife is really not worth the risk.

“But the work to tackle knife crime doesn’t stop at the end of the week,” said Mr Matthews.

“It is relentless with the police and partners using the whole toolbox.

“I’m delighted to see the results of my Violence Reduction Network (VRN), always a longer-term proposition, really gathering pace now.

“The VRN works hard to change mind-sets and behaviours though early and timely interventions which will lead to long-lasting change.

“That’s what we need and that is what is happening.”