Police ask Milton Keynes residents to surrender knives for art

Thames Valley Police is to take part in a national project to create a work of art which symbolises the country’s stand against knife violence.

The Force is to join more than 30 police forces already contributing to the project by the British Ironwork Centre.

Knives surrendered to police from across England and Wales are being repurposed into a magnificent piece of art which it is hoped will be displayed on the fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square in London.

Knife surrender bins will be in a number of police front counter offices across the Thames Valley from today (8/2) to Sunday (14/2) in support of London Metropolitan Police’s initiative Operation Sceptre.

Supt Richard James from Neighbourhood Policing and Partnerships said: “Taking part in the British Ironwork Centre project illustrates how we in the Thames Valley are part of the nation’s collective stand against knife crime and violence.

“In Thames Valley we do not experience knife crime on the levels seen in similar communities and areas elsewhere in the country. From January to December 2015 Thames Valley Police received reports of 485 crimes in which a bladed or pointed article was used compared to 496 during the same period the year before, a two per cent reduction.

“The figures refer to sexual and violent offences, including robbery, where a pointed or bladed implement is recorded as being used in the offence and it was capable of piercing or puncturing the skin. A pointed or bladed implement could include items such as knives, pens, screwdrivers and broken bottles. The item could have been used to threaten or injure.

“It is important that we continue to ensure people understand that carrying a knife makes an individual more likely to be a victim of knife crime themselves.

“We are proud to be able to take part in such an inspiring project alongside police forces and colleagues nationwide.”

Clive Knowles, of the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire, said: “The whole initiative aims to remove 100,000 knives from our streets and do some good. We are using knives collected from police forces across the country. The art piece shows that we can all work together and shows that as a nation we are against knife violence. It is going to be quite something.”

Knife surrender bins will be in front counter offices at the following locations from today (8/2) until Sunday (14/2): Milton Keynes, Bletchley, Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Amersham, Oxford, Abingdon, Banbury, Henley, Cowley, Didcot, Witney, Bicester, Reading, Loddon Valley, Maidenhead, Windsor, Newbury, Slough, Wokingham and Bracknell.

Knives should be wrapped in cardboard or something similar before placing in a bin.