Underage Knife Sales Operation
Yields Encouraging Result |
11 Apr 2007 |
South Tyneside Council's Trading Standards and Northumbria
Police have stepped up their crackdown on knife crime
by carrying out an undercover test purchasing operation
in South Shields.
Only one of the seven shops tested sold a knife to
the Council's two 14-year-old volunteers, and police
are now considering what action to take.
The operation comes during a two-week knife amnesty
being held in South Tyneside in a bid to urge the public
to think about the dangers of knives and hand in their
weapons.
And it is the latest Safer South Tyneside initiative
involving the Council and Northumbria Police working
together to reduce crime and disorder across the Borough.
Councillor Joanne Bell, Lead Member Safer and Stronger
Communities, said: "Though it is disappointing
to see that one premises has broken the law, the overall
outcome of this operation is a positive one. We are
obviously getting our message about the consequences
of underage sales across to traders.
"We know only to well the dangers of potential
weapons falling into the wrong hands, or being carried
on our streets. Selling one less knife could stop a
murder. Shopkeepers and members of the public should
be in no doubt that we will take action wherever we
come across underage sales."
Neighbourhood Inspector Peter Sutton for Cleadon and
East Shields, added: "It's heartening that the
message about knife sales is getting across. Shops
in South Tyneside that do sell knives know their responsibilities
and this is reassuring to the community.
"The law is clear, it is a criminal offence to
sell a knife to someone aged under 16 years. Anyone
who is found to flout the law can face six months imprisonment
and a fine.
"Northumbria Police will continue to carry out
these joint operations with Trading Standards officers
to make sure the public are protected from illegal
knife sales."
Knife crime in South Tyneside is still relatively
rare. There were 194 crimes involving knives being
used between April 2006 and February 2007, a five per
cent decrease on the same period last year.
Knife amnesty bins are now in the entrances to police
stations at Millbank, South Shields, Harton and Hebburn.
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