Knife amnesty produces fewer blades in St Albans district than in rest of Herts County

FEWER knives have been handed over to police through special deposit bins placed around the district than in any other area in the county. Half-way through the month-long amnesty campaign a total of five knives have so far been put into the bins located

FEWER knives have been handed over to police through special deposit bins placed around the district than in any other area in the county.

Half-way through the month-long amnesty campaign a total of five knives have so far been put into the bins located outside police stations in Harpenden, London Colney and St Albans.

But a total of 587 bladed items have been collected county-wide which means that the St Albans district has so far accounted for less than one per cent.

Two hunting knives were collected in St Albans along with one other miscellaneous bladed item. One hunting knife was handed in at London Colney and one kitchen knife was put in the bin at Harpenden.

In the neighbouring Welwyn and Hatfield district, a total of 18 knives have been deposited while in Hemel Hempstead alone a total of 103 potential bladed weapons have been handed over - including 12 cut-throat razors and four machetes.

Herts saw a 5.4 per cent drop in knife-related incidents last year but the police launched the deposit facility as part of a wider awareness campaign around knife crime.

The campaign aims to reduce the number of knives and bladed objects in circulation which could potentially be used in a crime.

Detective Superintendent Mark Drew from the Community Safety and Crime Reduction Unit said: "This is an excellent example of the constabulary working with the residents of Herts to get rid of any knives and bladed items before they could be used in a crime and demonstrates that together we are committed to keeping knife crime out of the county."

He added: "We are only half-way through the campaign so I'd urge those tempted to carry a knife to get rid of the temptation and make use of the bins - that way they will be shredded and never reach Hertfordshire's streets."

Visit www.herts.police.uk for more information and for safety reasons people are asked to wrap any blades deposited in the bins in cardboard secured with tape.