Knife seized just days after Skegness Standard special report

Police seized a machete-like knife just days after a special report in the Skegness Standard highlighted concern about the number of weapons available to buy on market stalls.
The knife seized by Skegness police. ANL-180430-150132001The knife seized by Skegness police. ANL-180430-150132001
The knife seized by Skegness police. ANL-180430-150132001

Officers were alerted about the weapon in Skegness on Saturday. The force posted an image of the weapon on social media, showing it next to a ruler with the blade measuring 12 inches.

Detective Constable David Penney tweeted: “A great job by the whole of E Relief bringing an incident to conclusion and taking a dangerous weapon off the streets.”

Police forces across the country are working to tackle knife crime as part of Operation Sceptre. Knife crime in Lincolnshire has risen by four percent – from 196 incidents during the period to June ’16 to 204 incidents to June ’17.

After last week’s article in which Carl Moore, a former security guard and stabbing victim called for a ban on the sale of knives and BB guns on market stalls, there was much support, including from cookware trader Stephen Campbell.

Mr Campbell has had a stall on Ingoldmells Market for six years and said: “I sell high quality cookware and kitchen knives but it’s a completely different market to daggers, machetes and BB guns. I completely agree this should be stopped. Why would you want to buy them at a family venue?”

There was also support for a ban from local people on social media.

Pamela Barker said on Facebook: “No-one has a need to carry a knife. Should be illegal to sell on markets They’re a weapon.”

Chris Biggins said: “What a sad combination. A place of fun for the family and yet a place where this type of thing is freely available. If it is legal, it most definitely shouldn’t be.”

* According to latest figures, Lincolnshire has been rated one of the safest counties in England and Wales.

A report by the Office for National Statistics ranks Lincolnshire as the fifth lowest county (per 1,000 population) for overall crime levels. Chief Constable Bill Skelly said: “We work hard in Lincolnshire Police to make sure we do all we can so that the residents of this county have somewhere safe and enjoyable in which to live and work. It’s encouraging to see that we are so low on the national tables in terms of crime rates and we’ll strive to make sure this remains the case.”