Council urges residents to hand in knives and swords anonymously before new law kicks in
Croydon Council is backing a national campaign to get dangerous weapons off the streets, ahead of a new law banning the possession of ninja swords from 1 August.
Residents are being urged to anonymously surrender weapons such as knives, machetes and ninja swords without fear of prosecution, through a series of dedicated surrender bins and mobile drop-off points across the borough.
The campaign is part of the Government’s National Weapons Surrender Scheme and is supported by the charity Words4Weapons and the FazAmnesty initiative. The scheme comes ahead of tough new legislation under which possession of a ninja sword will carry a sentence of up to six months in prison—rising to two years under new provisions.
The council has set up secure surrender bins at West Croydon station car park, outside New Addington Library, in Garnet Road car park, and at Croydon University Hospital (currently being installed). In addition, a fully secure mobile van will be available for weapon drop-offs on 14 and 28 July at various sites across New Addington, West Croydon and Thornton Heath.
Executive Mayor Jason Perry urged residents to take advantage of the amnesty: “We are supporting this action to remove dangerous weapons from our streets and reduce knife crime. The surrender scheme gives people in Croydon a chance to do the right thing – no questions asked. Whether it’s a knife or a ninja sword, handing it in could save a life.”
Wayne Lindsay, CEO of Project for Youth Empowerment (P4YE), added: “We know that many young people want to make a change, but may feel worried about walking into a police station. These community surrender bins give people a chance to do the right thing safely and anonymously.”
People are encouraged to wrap weapons securely in sealed bags or boxes before dropping them off. Ninja swords can also be handed directly to a police station with no requirement to provide personal details.
The council is also signposting local support services for those affected by knife crime, including mentoring programmes and youth services.
