Express & Star

More than 2,000 blades and guns dropped into West Midlands weapon surrender bins

More than 2,000 knives, machetes and guns have been dumped into weapon surrender bins in the region within just six months.

Published
PCC Simon Foster

Weapons have been dropped off at locations in the area as part of the scheme set up by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to tackle rising violent crime.

And this latest haul has represented the largest ever discovery of knives found in the weapon surrender bins as violent crime continues to escalate in the area.

The bins provide a place where people can anonymously dispose of unwanted or illegal blades, with the weapons later being removed and destroyed by experts.

West Midlands PCC Simon Foster said: "I’m very grateful to the public for using these weapon surrender bins as every dangerous item deposited into them is potentially a life saved.

"It’s staggering to think that in just six months we’ve removed more than 2,000 knives and other weapons from our streets.

"I’m also committed to continually investing in other preventative programmes, via the Violence Reduction Unit, that are designed to stop violence in its tracks.

"What’s more, West Midlands Police works around the clock to prevent crime, protect people, help the vulnerable and ensure offenders are brought to justice."

Knife crime has more than doubled in the West Midlands since 2012, with 20 of the surrender bins being placed at "strategic" locations in a bid to get weapons off the streets.

Four knife bins can be found in Wolverhampton – at St Chad and St Mark's Church in Lime Street, Morrison's in Bilston, the Tabernacle Baptist Church on Dunstall Road, and the New Testament Church of God on Wednesfield Road.

Other bins include at The Cornbow Shopping Centre in Halesowen, Tesco Extra on Birmingham Road in Dudley, Tesco on Littleton Street West in Walsall and at Sainsbury's on Freeth Street, Oldbury – with the rest placed either in Birmingham or Coventry.