Eight arrested and 39 knives seized by police during week of action

Devon and Cornwall Police has arrested eight people and seized a large number of weapons during a dedicated week to combat knife crime.

Supporting the national ‘Sceptre’ knife awareness campaign, the force engaged 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 from Monday 18 to Sunday 24 May 2026 and is part of the wider national strategy to remove dangerous weapons from the streets and keep communities safe.

The forcewide Sceptre activity demonstrated a strong emphasis on prevention, education and retailer engagement alongside targeted enforcement activity, including knife sweeps, test purchasing operations, stop and search activity and education and engagement activity in schools and communities.

During the week, a total of 39 knives were taken off the streets and 27 test purchases were carried out in shops selling knives, with only two outlets failing the test.  Store owners were given advice about selling to under 18s as well as storage and safeguarding information.

Eight arrests were made in relation to knife carrying or knife crime.

25  educational events were also held at local schools and in local communities and an additional 58 retailers were visited to check that they had the appropriate checks in place in relation to selling knives to under 18s.

Detective Inspector Kevin Morley of Devon and Cornwall Police, who led the operation, said, “It’s been a really successful week for us with a lot of positive engagement across the board, including with partners, in schools and with local retailers, as well as a significant number of knives being removed from circulation.

“Whilst knife crime in Devon and Cornwall remains low, we support this national campaign whole-heartedly. It’s important that local knife retailers are aware of the law and the checks that should be carried out when selling knives.

“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.  There have been a number of serious incidents involving knives recently, but these are infrequent. 

“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.

“Devon and Cornwall remain among the safest places to live in the country, and we will continue to use every available resource to combat knife crime and keep our neighbourhoods safe.”

Becky Dustan of the MIKES Trust charity and sister of Michael Riddiough-Allen who died following a knife attack, added “I know first-hand the trauma and pain of losing someone to a knife attack, having lost my brother, Michael, in 2023.  It’s not something we’ll ever fully recover from.  We realise that education is key in preventing knife carrying and reducing knife crime, which is why we set up the trust in Michael’s name. We fully support the police’s efforts in this area.”

To hear Becky’s story visit: https://youtu.be/2aHAB7T0Mww

Devon and Cornwall remain among the safest places to live in the country. We will continue to use every available resource to combat knife crime and keep our neighbourhoods safe.

Knife surrender bins are now permanently situated in local police stations across the region so that the public can surrender knives safely and discreetly at any time. Information about where knife surrender bins can be found at: dc.police.uk/peo

If anyone has concerns about someone they know who carries a knife, or about knife crime in their community, we encourage them to report it to us at this link: dc.police.uk/tua

People can also report any information anonymously to CrimeStoppers UK on 0800 555111.

Retailers can visit this website for guidance on selling knives: www.nbcc.police.uk/knifeguidance 

Other useful websites:

Nottheone.co.uk – for information, including education packages for schools, about knives and knife crime