Sevenoaks shops helping to tackle knife crime

Kent Police officers from the Sevenoaks Community Safety Unit continued the fight against knife crime by engaging with local businesses.

PC Nick Hubbard and PCSO George Wilders visited a number of shops selling knives and other sharp objects to give advice to members of staff and learn what processes they have in place to keep potential weapons out of the wrong hands.

This includes keeping knives locked away in cabinets and ensuring cashiers ask for identification from anyone attempting to purchase a knife who appears to be under the age of 25, to ensure they are over 18.

Posters raising awareness of knife crime were also handed out during the visits.

PC Hubbard said:

‘Tackling knife crime is a joint approach and it was therefore pleasing to see that all the shops we visited were committed to playing their part.

‘The vast majority of people who buy knives are responsible and law-abiding citizens. Unfortunately there are also a minority who use knives to inflict serious violence on others, which is why it is so important that shop staff keep them secure and only sell them to adults.

‘Sevenoaks is a very safe place to live, work and visit, and we aim to keep it that way by not only targeting those who commit knife crime but by preventing it from occurring in the first place.’