Knife crime has a devastating impact in our communities

Gwent Police is joining services across the country with a nationwide awareness week to tackle knife crime and serious violence.

Sceptre will see officers carry out seven days of anti-knife crime work, and education in schools, to highlight the impact of knife crime.

Alongside our partners, officers will be giving crime prevention advice to schools, youth groups and the wider community.

We’re opening knife amnesty bins at five stations across our service for people to deposit dangerous knives and blades safely and securely.

Sergeant Phill Jones, who is leading Gwent’s Sceptre operation, said:

"Knife crime can have a devastating impact on our communities and while policing plays a big role in reducing knife crime, we cannot address the issue alone.

“As a service, we continue to speak with young people, in particular, to educate them on the consequences of carrying bladed articles.

“As part of our daily policing, we conduct intelligence-led stop-search powers to target those who may commit violent crime.

“But I want to appeal directly to those who carry a knife as well as to their family and friends.

“Carrying a knife doesn’t protect you – it can make a situation worse – so if you know someone who is carrying a knife in your area, please report it to us immediately.

“By providing us with that information, you could be saving the life of someone you love.”

As well as working closely with our partners, our officers continue to work with retailers – both in shops and online – to keep knives out of the wrong hands.

And we’ll be supporting local authorities to carry out test purchase operations to make sure bladed items are sold legally and responsibly.

During Sceptre week, law and public services students at Coleg Gwent will be discussing the impact of knife crime. The independent charity Crimestoppers’ youth brand, Fearless, has knife-crime education sessions booked across Gwent aimed to empower young people to speak up about crime, 100% anonymously.

Amnesty bin opening times

This week, knife amnesty bins have been set up at five stations across Gwent, allowing people to safely and, anonymously, dispose of dangerous knives and blades.

The bins will be available at the following stations and accessible at these times:

Newport Central (Cardiff Road, NP20 2EH) – Monday to Sunday; 8am to 6pm.

Monmouth (Glendower Street, NP25 3DG) - (this week): Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

Blackwood (Blackwood Road, NP12 2XA) - Monday to Friday; 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

Ebbw Vale (Bethcar Street, NP23 6UY) - Monday to Friday; 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

Cwmbran (Tudor Road, NP44 3XH) – Monday to Friday; 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

People looking to deposit dangerous knives at these bins are asked to store them securely while transporting them and then package the blade prior to placing them in the bins so they can be removed safely.

In addition, Rhymney Station (High Street, NP22 5LP), will be having an open door on Tuesday (18 November), between 4pm and 6pm, for people to dispose of dangerous knives into a red bin.

On the same day, the mobile police station will be at Morrisons in Bargoed (Bargoed Gateway, CF81 8NX) between 3pm and 4pm and at Tesco Stores in Ystrad Mynach (New Road, Hengoed, CF82 7DP) from 4.15pm to 5.15pm.

Sergeant Jones said: "I want to reassure communities that anyone caught carrying a knife, no matter the reason, we will stop and search them, seize the weapon and deal with them proportionally through the criminal justice system.”

If you have any information about individuals involved in knife crime, please contact us via our website, call us on 101 or send us a direct message on our Facebook or X social media pages.

You can call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 with information or visit their website.

In an emergency, always dial 999.