Police giving people in Deeside opportunity to surrender any unwanted knives

North Wales Police are giving people in Deeside the opportunity to surrender any unwanted knives and blades safely at the police station on Wepre Drive.

A knife amnesty will run in Deeside between 8am-10am daily from 16th of August to 23rd of August.

Under a new law that came into force last month, owners of weapons such as zombie knives and knuckledusters could be jailed.

Possessing a knife or offensive weapon in a public place was already illegal but the Offensive Weapons Act will make it unlawful to have specific types of knives and other offensive weapons in private.

The list includes zombie knives, cyclone knives, knuckledusters, death star knives, flick knives, gravity knives, batons, disguised knives, push daggers and other offensive weapons.

The Offensive Weapons Act means offenders found with those weapons could be jailed for up to six months and fined.

Knife crime is any crime that involves a knife whether it is used or not and some examples include:

• Carrying a knife
• Threatening someone with a knife
• Intending to hurt someone with a knife
• Using a knife to injure or kill someone
• Thieves carrying knives during a robbery or burglary
• The involvement of a knife or knives in gang-related offences
• Someone under 18 trying to buy a knife

Flintshire North Support Sergeant Matt Subacchi said: “Flintshire North is running a knife amnesty in Deeside Police Station from 8am-10am daily from the 16th of August 2021 until the 23rd of August 2021”

“It is now an offence to possess in private, including your home items such as flick knives, knuckledusters and telescopic truncheons.”

“There will also be changes to the process of buying knives online with enhancing age verification checks.”

“Please help us make Flintshire safe and if you or know of anyone else who possess any such items – encourage to utilise this service in Deeside.”

If you have concerns about someone you know or care about, who is carrying or hiding a knife call the Police on 101 or CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or the Fearless campaign website https://www.fearless.org/en/give-info .

Always dial 999 in an emergency.