Preston police have launched an operation to prevent knife crime this week.

Operation Sceptre is a reassurance activity where the police will carry out weapon sweeps.

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This is part of the wider Lancashire Police Operation Edge initiative which has been in place for the last 18 months and works to reduce knife and violent crime in Lancashire.

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A spokesperson from Lancashire police said: “Operation Sceptre is a week of intense action aimed at targeting people who carry knives.

“As part of the activity, officers across Preston are carrying out a number of weapon sweeps in places where weapons may have been tactically placed by people wanting to commit crime.

“This information has been provided to us by members of the public and we’d like to thank them for reporting these to us and ask they continue to do so.”

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Operation Edge sees dedicated officers carrying out specific knife and violent crime prevention and enforcement activities in known hot spots in addition to carrying out intelligence-led initiatives.

The spokesperson added: “We want Preston and Lancashire to be a safe place to live and by carrying out these coordinated sweeps not only helps to reassure the public but gets knives and weapons off the streets.”

See the latest crime stats and information for your area

Police recovered a knife in Moor Park this afternoon (Tuesday 10 November) after searching for discarded weapons.

If you have any information about knife crime in your area, contact us on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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