Over 100 weapons recovered and arrests made as police target knife-crime in Teesside

Operation Sceptre – a national intensification week – was an opportunity to educate young people on the dangers and devastating consequences of knife-crime, encourage people to hand weapons in and target individuals who carry a blade.

Throughout the week – which ran from Monday 11 November to Sunday 17 November – officers from Hartlepool, Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough and Stockton conducted various activity across the county.

This activity included:

• At least 111 knives recovered from surrender bins placed at the four main police stations for members of the community to voluntarily give up unwanted blades.
• Officers delivered five community engagement inputs on Cleveland Police’s Carrying a Blade Doesn’t Give You an Edge campaign which was presented to almost 100 young people.
• There were 18 school visits conducted by neighbourhood officers that targeted almost 2000 students on the dangers and devastating consequences of serious knife related crime.
• Business retailers were visited by officers for test purchasing.
• At least two knives were recovered during stop searches resulting in their arrests.
• At least six people were arrested for knife crime related incidents – five of which have since been charged. One was charged in connection with being in possession of a blade and four were charged in connection with an assault following a stabbing.
• Officers in Hartlepool – with support from the CURV (Cleveland Unit for the Reduction of Violence) – ran an operation in Causeway with the passive drugs dog. It led to four people being arrested including a 15-year-old boy, two 18-year-olds and a 52-year-old woman. Officers also recovered cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine. A machete and a knife were also seized.

In the last 12 months – October 2023 to October 2024 – a knife has been involved in the killing of six people in Teesside. While 503 reports of violence with injury involved a blade during the same time period.

The force remains determined to continue reducing the number of blades being carried by individuals across the county with engagement initiatives continuing to occur to educate and prevent young people from being involved in serious violence.

Detective Inspector Sarah Beadle, Cleveland Police’s operational lead for Operation Sceptre, said: “The results from the week of action are encouraging and shine a light on what our officers are doing on a regular basis to tackle serious violence and knife crime.

“It is fantastic to see over 100 weapons were handed in via our surrender bins by members of the public who have voluntarily given up unwanted blades and prevented them from falling into the wrong hands.

“Evidence is clear that a child who carries a knife is more likely to become a victim, whether that’s being seriously injured or worse lose their life. Therefore it is important to keep raising awareness of the dangers and devastating consequences of carrying a blade to deter young people away from this crime and to make Teesside an even safer place to live and work both now and in the future.”

To report any type of crime involving weapons, call Cleveland Police on 101, visit our website or dial 999 in an emergency.

Anyone who may know of someone carrying a knife can report it to Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting the website

For information on Cleveland Police’s prevention campaign ‘Carrying a Blade Doesn’t Give You an Edge’ please visit our website