Alcester included in knife sale test across county

KNIFE selling tests to under 18-year-olds were carried out by police last week and included locations in Alcester and Southam.

Two volunteers – including a member of the Warwickshire Police Cadets - joined forces with Warwickshire Trading Standards to take part in a test purchase knife operation across the county.

It’s against the law to sell knives to under 18s and trading standards regularly carry out operations with the support of Warwickshire Police Cadets to check shops are abiding by this law.

The volunteers – who were 15 and 16 – went into ten stores across the county attempting to buy knives but were declined on every occasion. Four of the shops visited had fallen foul of the law during a similar operation in June.

Test purchases were made in Alcester, Southam, Warwick, Rugby, Bedworth and Hartshill.

Superintendent Lee Kemp, head of response and neighbourhood policing in Warwickshire, said: “Shop workers play a key role in helping us to keep knives off our streets and it is pleasing to see the message around the illegal sale knives to children is getting through. These types of operations are one of many tools available to us in tackling knife crime in Warwickshire and we will continue to be proactive in deterring people from carrying knives and ensuring people who do are brought to justice.”

For more information - Operation Talkative: Week of action tackling knife crime – 13th to 19th November | Warwickshire Police