More than 3,500 knives have been taken off the streets of Bedfordshire in what police say is the county’s most successful weapon surrender in over five years.
A total of 3,577 knives and 23 other weapons were recovered from 11 weapons bins across the county as part of the latest phase of ‘Just Drop It’, the county-wide anti-knife crime campaign. 1,495 knives were recovered in Bedford alone.
The milestone was recorded ahead of Operation Sceptre, a national week of action to tackle knife crime, which took place from 19 to 25 May. The figure marks the highest number of knives surrendered since the campaign began in 2023.
Read: Bedfordshire Police launches Sceptre – a national week of action to tackle knife crime
The number of knives recovered by location:
- Bedford – 1,495 knives
- Dunstable and Houghton Regis – 1,110 knives
- Biggleswade and Shefford – 458 knives
- Luton – 397 knives
- Leighton Buzzard – 117 knives
As part of Sceptre, Bedfordshire Police worked with the Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit (VERU) to host events, carry out enforcement, and engage with schools and communities.
One of the week’s highlights was Not My Child: A parent’s guide to exploitation, knife crime & county lines, a free event at Luton Sixth Form College.
It attracted more than 100 parents and professionals, and included real-life accounts from individuals with lived experience, along with expert advice on how to recognise the signs of exploitation.
This event is now expected to be rolled out into other areas, including Bedford.
Superintendent Alex House said the figures show that “communities are listening, engaging and playing an active role” in tackling knife crime.
“Getting knives off the streets is important, but it is just one part of the picture. Sceptre helps to showcase the year-round work taking place to tackle violence and make our streets safer,” he said.
“Prevention is key, and by engaging young people early, challenging harmful myths and equipping them with the tools and support they need, we can help them choose safer paths and stop violence before it starts.”
To find out more about Operation Sceptre and the work being done to tackle knife crime in Bedfordshire, visit the Beds Police website.
