More criminals are using weapons such as huge so-called “zombie” knives, hunting knives and machetes.
Police teams in London regularly post chilling images of the weapons they find on Twitter, with entries from the past two days alone showing an array of deadly blades.
Speaking at a City Hall knife crime summit on Wednesday, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the Met had carried out 615 weapon sweeps in the past week and seized 135 knives and six guns.
Here is a selection of seized knives featured on Met police Twitter accounts on Tuesday and Wednesday alone:
Discarded by youth in Wandsworth after foot chase by lone police officer. Suspect arrested. 30cm long blade. Another knife taken off the streets of London and potentially lives saved #knifecrime pic.twitter.com/5o3GVdw8KV
— Merton MPS (@MPSMerton) June 26, 2018
After short foot chase by officers in @MPSWandsworth PD Zebo from @MetTaskforce was tasked to search for discarded property. He found this horrific looking knife. pic.twitter.com/X8foBQ7c92
— MetTaskforce (@MetTaskforce) June 26, 2018
Found by your local #ProjectServator team whilst on a vehicle check point today at West ferry circus. @MPSLimehouse #knifecrime #london #meatcleaver #knife #chopper pic.twitter.com/tME3sps838
— Tower Hamlets Police (@MPSTowerHam) June 26, 2018
#NTF1 assisting #ResponseTeamA with a Robbery outside St Paul’s school, this knife was recovered in a bush along with a bottle believed to contain a noxious substance. If you have any information regarding this incident please contact us on 101 pic.twitter.com/QOOus4e2bH
— Tower Hamlets Police (@MPSTowerHam) June 26, 2018
Another knife has been taken off the streets by your local SNT with the help of the community #Stopknivessavelives #StopKnifeCrime pic.twitter.com/X3s6G7g9Ri
— Harringay Police (@MPSHarringay) June 26, 2018
After a police foot chase #SE17 a large hunting knife was recovered. 484MD was on the suspects toes and detained them moments later. They were arrested and another knife taken off the streets #stopknifecrime #puttheknifedown ^227MD pic.twitter.com/iK0z4hHsT0
— MPS Southwark – Central South Command (@MPSSouthwark) June 26, 2018
Busy Nights. 6 in with our colleagues @MPSLewisham #TeamE for fight involving weapons in SE7. 1 charged & remanded for possession of a knife. Injuries not life threatening or life changing. Investigation continues …. Tonight 3 in for this offensive weapon! #KnivesTakeLives pic.twitter.com/QFfD6ycFm4
— Greenwich MPS (@MPSGreenwich) June 27, 2018
