A record haul of more than 15,000 blades have been seized by police in Victoria this year – the largest amount on record.
A record haul of more than 15,000 blades have been seized by police in Victoria this year – the largest amount on record.
Police said the 15,010 edged weapons taken off the street averaged out at 47 knives, machetes, and zombie knives per day.
It’s above last year’s then-record of 14,808 edged weapons, or 44 a day.
Many such weapons this year have been seized from residential addresses during targeted search warrants on known offenders.
Police are also targeting known youth gang members, whom they allege are among those most likely to carry weapons in public.
“I am acutely aware of how much concern knife crime generates in the Victorian community, with multiple recent incidents striking at the heart of how safe people are and how safe people feel,” Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said.
“The simple fact is knife crime leads to nothing but immense harm and significant trauma – whether it be physical or psychological.”
Police have also seized weapons through bail checks, patrols in areas of known gang activity, and designated weapons search operations.
“Knives and machetes have no place at your local shopping centre, bus stop or train station, and we’ll continue to use every available avenue to ensure our community is safe,” Bush said.
