• Make a contribution
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Sunday, May 25, 2025
  • Login
Reading Today Online
  • HOME
  • YOUR AREA
    • All
    • Caversham
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Katesgrove
    • Reading
    • Southcote & Coley
    • Tilehurst & Norcot
    • Whitley

    Decades old tree irrevocably damaged by electricity workers cut down in East Reading

    Plans approved for new location for Reading driving test centre

    Showdown set as plan for new homes in Caversham is hit with objections by neighbours

    Former headteacher who made illegal images of children banned from teaching for life

    Plan to add 70 new homes to huge Reading Golf Course development submitted

    Fifteen roads seeing resurfacing as next six-week phase of improvements starts next week

    Royal Berks Charity funds new defibrillators at RBH

    Vape-related fires jump by 400% since 2020, data shows

    UTC students lead the way on sustainability at multi-academy trust summit

  • COMMUNITY
  • READING FC
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Basketball
    • Football
    • Rugby

    Former Reading FC manager Ruben Selles linked with League One job

    Four in a row for BAPCO

    Reading fans – you can finally dare to dream again

    Rob Couhig reveals new Reading FC CEO following takeover

    It’s a podium streak for Wokingham racing star Bobby with a win at Silverstone

    Rams RFC celebrate at end of season ball

    Lewis hits brilliant century to see Berkshire CCC beat Buckinghamshire

    ‘Without you, there would be no club’: Defender sends farewell message to Reading FC fans

    Style and splendour returns to Newbury

  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Reading Today Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Crime

More than 100 knives removed from Berkshire streets thanks to police operation

Phil Creighton by Phil Creighton
Saturday, November 25, 2023 7:43 am
in Crime, Featured, Reading
A A
The knife amnesty bin in Cintra Park, Reading Picture: Phil Creighton

The knife amnesty bin in Cintra Park, Reading Picture: Phil Creighton

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

MORE than 100 knives were handed over in Berkshire during a week-long amnesty earlier this month.

Thames Valley Police said its Operation Sceptre was a success.

The initiative, held in May and November, aims to deliver education and raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime, as well as getting the weapons off the streets.

The force says that all recorded knife crime is trending down 4% when comparing October 1, 2022- October 31, 2023 with the same period for the year before.

Officers conducted almost 1,200 high visibility patrols in hotspots, and carried out more than 110 age-verification test purchases on knives, with 27 retailers receiving penalties.

They also visited people known to carry knives or be involved in violence to give advice and remind that any offending will lead to arrest, while also offering support if they wanted help. Some people were targeted using Stop & Search powers, leading to 40 arrests and the seizure of 12 knives.

Related posts

Woman in her seventies sexually assaulted on bus in Reading

Boy sexually assaulted in Reading, police release e-fit

Reading man fails to appear in court on charge of burglary

Young man and woman attacked by group of teenagers in Reading robbery

Officers, PCSOs and staff participated in 70 education sessions, visiting schools and running engagement events to raise awareness of the dangers of knives and exploitation.

The knife amnesty bins, which are permanently installed across the Thames Valley, resulted in 337 knives being handed in for safe disposal, with 107 of them coming from Berkshire.

Superintendent Lewis Prescott-Mayling, Strategic Lead for Serious Violence Reduction, Thames Valley Police, said: “Once again we have seen some good results from our intensification of activity during the week, as well as some great partnership work focused on earlier intervention and prevention.

“Our policing approach is to target places and people.

“We put our resources into those areas where we know violence occurs, with high visibility policing to act as a deterrent. And for hot people – those who we know are involved in knife crime or other associated offences such as drugs supply – we use all of our powers to apply pressure, disrupt them and where necessary arrest and put them before the courts.

“The knife amnesty bins are always available to anyone – no details are taken, no questions are asked. If you have a weapon, now is the time to get rid of it. Don’t put yourself at risk of prosecution and most importantly, don’t put yourself or others at risk of harm.”

The results of the week were welcomed by Matthew Barber, Police & Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley.

“Tackling serious violence and the scourge of knife crime remains a high priority,” he said. “Thanks to the strong policing action being taken together with partnership education, early intervention and prevention efforts led by the Violence Reduction Unit, we are having an effect and knife crime continues to fall here in the Thames Valley.

“However, there is still much that we must do together to stop the tragic incidents that ruin lives and spread fear in our communities. Operation Sceptre is just one week, but here in the Thames Valley we maintain this focus right throughout the year.”

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Tags: berkslocal newsnewspolicerdg newsrdgukrdguk berkshirerdguk newsreadingreading berkshirereading newsThames Valley PoliceUK News
Previous Post

Four Reading people arrested for fraud following Trading Standards operation

Next Post

STATION HILL FIRE: Construction firm praises staff for a swift evacuation

FOLLOW US

POPULAR STORIES

  • Young man and woman attacked by group of teenagers in Reading robbery

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC star to become free agent following Championship relegation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Thousands experience power outage in Reading, not expected to be fixed for hours

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC group Sell Before We Dai makes generous donation following end of campaign

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC takeover: EFL provides update as sale nears completion

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free, independent news coverage.

If you are able, please support our work

Click Here to Support RDG.Today

ABOUT US

Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Reading Today Logo

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Bracknell
    • Calcot
    • Caversham
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
  • COMMUNITY
  • SPORT
    • Reading FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • Basketball
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
  • SUPPORT US
  • SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION

© 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.