Police praise West Sussex retailers for challenging children who try to buy knives

Officers have been coordinating test purchasing of knives over the past two years as part of Operation Safety, which aims to provide education and enforcement of knife-related offences.

On Saturday (February 5), police said they conducted their fourth operation in the Crawley district in the past 12 months.

They said that in April 2021 10 stores were visited and two failed.

In August 2021 nine stores were visited and three failed.

In November 2021 11 stores were visited and all passed.

Then on February 5, police said a further 11 stores were visited, including all those that had previously failed, and all of them passed.

“It is a great achievement that retailers in the Crawley area are taking responsibility around age-related products seriously and are consistently challenging our police cadets who attempt to buy knives under our supervision,” said Sergeant Scott Walters of the Operation Safety team.

But he said the success is not limited to Crawley, adding that Sussex Police had seen similar trends in Mid Sussex, Horsham, Worthing, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.

“It is vital that this trend continues in order for everyone – not just under 18s – to realise the devastating consequences knife crime can have,” he said.

Police said the penalty for selling a knife to a child can be anything from an unlimited fine to six months’ imprisonment and this includes online retailers.

The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is four years in prison and an unlimited fine, they said, adding that anyone convicted of carrying a knife more than once will face a prison term.

Sussex Police are reminding West Sussex residents that it is illegal to possess a banned knife or weapon.

It is also illegal to: bring into the UK, sell, hire, lend or give someone a banned knife or weapon; carry any knife in public without good reason, unless it has a manual folding blade less than three inches long; sell a knife to anyone under the age of 18, unless it has a manual folding blade less than three inches long; and use any knife in a threatening way.

Sgt Walters added: “The cadets reported having an enjoyable day supporting our combined effort to prevent underage sales and reducing knives getting onto our streets.”

He said this would not be possible without the support of the cadet leaders and Neighbourhood Youth Officers.

“I have worked with regional managers of those stores that have repeatedly failed not just in Crawley but across West Sussex, enabling their tightening of training, policy and procedures to reach all their stores,” he said.

People can report knife crime online or by calling 101 but people should always call 999 in an emergency.

To report knife crime anonymously, visit www.fearless.org or read more about the consequences of knife crime at www.sussex.police.uk.