Knife amnesty in Cornwall after so-called zombie knives are outlawed

Devon and Cornwall Police is holding a knife amnesty from Tuesday, November 15 until Monday, November 26, to give people the opportunity to safely hand in weapons following recent legislation that prohibits the sale or importation of so-called zombie knives.

Police want to give people the opportunity to hand these weapons in, along with any other unwanted knives, to prevent them ending up in the wrong hands.

Three police stations in Cornwall will have special red collection bins during the knife amnesty: Camborne, St Austell, and Bodmin.

Zombie knives, which tend to have a serrated edge and can be up to around 60cm in length, are inspired by horror films and have been advertised as collectors’ items, but are still dangerous and are now classed as illegal weapons. Freely available on the internet, there is a concern these could end up in the hands of criminals.

Acting Detective Superintendent Ben Deer said: “These zombie knives can cause devastating damage and glamorise violence. I would urge anyone who has obtained one of these weapons to take this opportunity to hand it in. Knife crime is relatively low in Devon and Cornwall and we do not want to see these weapons being used by criminals or in acts of violence as we have seen in other parts of the country.”

Detective Superintendent Deer added: “This amnesty is for any kind of knife, not just zombie-type knives. If you possess a potentially dangerous knife that has no legitimate use in your home, hobby or profession, please use this opportunity to get rid of it.

“Knives are deadly weapons and someone carrying a knife is much more likely to get stabbed themselves as situations with weapons can quickly get out of control.”

Police have warned that if someone is caught with a knife without good reason they will be arrested and prosecuted, and self-protection is not considered a reasonable excuse for carrying an offensive weapon.