A CRACKDOWN on knife crime in Rugby has seen three people arrested.
Response officers were called to a disturbance in Regent Street at around 2.30am on Thursday (December 10) and found a man in his 20s understood to have suffered facial injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening.
A butterfly knife and a baseball bat were seized by officers.
A 29-year-old man from Rugby was arrested on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm and possessing a bladed article, while a 25-year-old man – also from Rugby – was arrested on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm.
Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information or who was in the area is asked to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting incident 16 of December 10.
Shortly afterwards, at around 3.45am, officers performed a stop search on a man seen to be acting suspiciously in Chestnut Field.
A wooden handled knife was seized and a 32-year-old man from Rugby was arrested on suspicion of possessing a bladed article in a public place.
Investigations are continuing and officers are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to call 101 quoting incident 26 of December 10.
The arrests came as part of a continued operation to drive down knife crime in the borough.
Operation Spigot was launched back in October following a number of incidents involving knives – particularly in the town centre – over the past 12 months.
Since the operation began, officers have been engaging with the community, patrolling hotspot areas, and carrying out warrants and stop searches.
This has led to multiple arrests on suspicion of possessing bladed articles, and a number of weapons being removed from the borough’s streets.
Inspector Sally Bunyard-Spiers from Rugby’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams said: “It’s very encouraging to see how our approach to tackling knife crime has been received in the first few months.
“Carrying knives on our streets will not be tolerated. If someone is caught either carrying a knife or using one, we will strive to carry out a thorough investigation and where possible, ensure they are brought to justice.
“Knife crime affects the whole community – not only does it raise fear of crime, but if people see others carrying knives they think they should do the same, which increases the number of knives on the streets.
“It’s particularly important that young people understand the consequences of carrying or using a weapon and feel they have someone to talk to about their worries and concerns. I would urge parents and carers to talk openly to their children about the dangers of carrying knives and the life-changing consequences knife crime can have on them, their family and friends.
“It might not always be obvious if someone is carrying a knife but if you see someone doing so or acting suspiciously, please get in touch. A single call could save someone’s life.”
Report information about knife crime to police online, by calling 101, or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
