Police make 41 arrests during week-long crackdown on knife crime in Northamptonshire

Police arrested 41 people county-wide and caught four shops selling blades to under-18s during a week-long crackdown on knife crime across Northamptonshire.

Those arrests saw 17 weapons seized out of a total of 83 weapons recovered as part of the national Operation Sceptre week of action which also saw officers attend community engagement events, school visits and carry out test purchase operations in shops.

Superintendent Steve Freeman, who oversaw the activity, said: “The vast majority of people in Northamptonshire will never be impacted by knife crime, however the consequences of incidents involving knives can be catastrophic.

“We all have a responsibility to educate young people about the dangers of knife crime, and last week our Neighbourhood Teams spent time visiting schools speaking to children about what the risks they face if they carry a knife but also what to do if they have concerns about people being involved in the kind of crime.

“Choosing to carry a knife means you’re more likely to get injured or stabbed yourself and you could end up with a criminal record if you’re found to be in possession of one, so it’s reassuring to know there are 83 fewer knives available for people to use.

“We also held a number of knife amnesties and conducted test purchase operations at shops across the county to check that retailers were refusing to sell knives to children aged under 18. I’m pleased to report that only four premises out of the 27 we visited sold knives to a child.”

Two people including a 15-year-old boy were charged with attempted murder following a knife attack in a Corby supermarket which left a male victim seriously injured earlier this month. Christopher Sneddon, aged 35, of Grantham Walk and the teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons were both remanded in custody until January 6.

All 43 police forces in England and Wales took part in the seven-day crack down on knife crime which saw 2,550 people arrested, of which 742 were related to knife crime offences.

■ If you are aware of anyone who carries a knife or have concerns that someone you know may carry a knife, please report it to police or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.