Rotherham retailers targeted by knife crime operation

Officers from Rotherham’s Safer Neighbourhoods Services and representatives from the Trading Standards department of Rotherham Council were out and about undertaking a test purchase operation targeting shops across the town.

The test purchase operation was in an attempt to reduce under age sales of knives and ensure knives do not fall into the hands of young people.

South Yorkshire Police cadets, aged 16, went into the shops with the aim of trying to buy a knife illegally.

Two out of the 11 retailers that were visited failed the test purchase.

PC Steve Nile from the Rotherham Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “Test purchasing operations like this are incredibly important in our bid to stop the sale of knives to children as we have a duty to keep people safe.

“We’re working with our partner Trading Standards teams and the businesses themselves to make sure this doesn't happen again.

“It is a criminal offence to sell knives and bladed articles to children and this operation is a stark reminder to businesses and their staff that they need to take the sale of all age-restricted products seriously otherwise they could find themselves being prosecuted.

“My message to retailers is, always check a young person’s ID and question why they would want a knife.

“If in doubt don’t sell them one. Your actions could save serious harm being caused to that person or another.”