TWELVE weapons, including seven knives, were seized by police during a week long campaign last month.

Devon & Cornwall Police has been taking part in the national ‘Sceptre’ knife awareness campaign, engaging with knife retailers to check knives are not being sold illegally and with the public around the risks of carrying knives.

The campaign, led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), ran in May, and is part of the wider national strategy to remove dangerous weapons from the streets and keep communities safe.

Detective Inspector Kevin Morley of Devon and Cornwall Police, who co-ordinated the operation, said: ‘While knife crime in Devon and Cornwall remains low, we support this national campaign whole-heartedly.

‘It is important that local knife retailers are aware of the law and the checks that should be carried out when selling knives’.

Local police cadets carried out test purchasing of the sale of knives to under 18s at seven different retailers, most of which were following the guidelines for selling to young people.

Two shops failed the test and were given guidance in relation to their knife selling policies.

Additionally, officers patrolled high streets and other public areas, attended pubs and clubs, and visited local schools with knife arches to engage with young people and raise awareness of the dangers of carrying knives - including that people are more at risk of being injured by a knife if they carry one.

Local policing teams also carried out weapon sweeps across the region, which involve checking public places where weapons may have been hidden or discarded.

Three search warrants were carried out during which seven knives were seized.

Twelve weapons in total were seized during the week of action.

Det Insp Morley added ‘We have had a successful week getting knives off the street, engaging with the public and raising awareness around the dangers of knife carrying.

‘Some people think knife carrying will make them safer when the reality is that they are more likely to be injured with their own knife.

‘This emphasises the importance of our on-going efforts to remove knives from our streets, as we recognise the catastrophic impact on families who have been victims of knife crime’.