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People urged to hand in knives as part of campaign to reduce knife crime

Monday, 17 November 2025 14:19

Police are intensifying efforts to tackle knife crime in North Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire Police are intensifying their efforts to take knives out of circulation this week.

The focused effort will take place as part of Operation Sceptre - a push to reduce knife crime across the country.

Despite North Yorkshire having significantly lower levels of knife crime than the national average, officers have made dozens of arrests specifically for knife offences under this operation in the past.

Actions from police include even more deployments to areas in the county where knife crime has been detected, with additional patrols and searches of suspects.

There will also be educational work, including school visits and intervention with young people, to make them think about the consequences of carrying a knife.

Police will also take on special operations to target people with weapons and those involved in organised crime.

Inspector Ciaran Conlon said:

"Some knives are legal to possess but illegal to carry in public without a lawful purpose.

"Others are classed as offensive weapons which are illegal to possess, even if kept at home.

"But both can be surrendered at the knife bins or your local police station – you won’t get into trouble for transporting them there and you will not face prosecution.

"We’re working round the clock to prevent knife crime and knife carrying. Help us get as many blades as possible out of circulation by dropping them off at your local knife bin or police station this week."

Officers will be promoting their 20 secure, permanent knife bins which have now been rolled out in easy-to-access locations across North Yorkshire and have just set up additional, temporary knife amnesty bins at police stations in York, Scarborough, Malton, Northallerton, Harrogate and Skipton.

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