Knife Crime Clampdown: Sussex Police Use Teen Volunteers to Test Shops
Underage Knife Sales Put to the Test
Sussex Police are cracking down on knife sales to minors. As part of their Operation Safety, officers employed 16-year-old volunteers to try buying knives from local shops in Brighton and Hove. The aim? To see if stores are following ID rules and keeping blades away from under-18s.
First Round Reveals One Shop Slip-Up
On January 2, police and Brighton and Hove Trading Standards visited seven shops. Only one outlet broke the rules and served the underage volunteer. That shop received a community resolution, and the individual responsible faced disciplinary action from their employer.
Second Sweep Sees Full Compliance
Fast forward to January 16, officers returned with two teen volunteers. Nine stores were tested—eight of which had previously failed, plus one fresh target. This time, all nine shops correctly asked for ID and refused the underage buyers.
“The results of these latest Op Safety checks are extremely satisfying,” said PC Kate Hancox of Brighton and Hove’s Neighbourhood Policing Team. “The message is clearly getting across that the sale of knives to underage people will not be tolerated.”
Zero Tolerance on Illegal Knife Sales
PC Hancox added, “Selling bladed articles to under-18s fuels violence and poses serious risks not only to the public but also to the vendors themselves. Repeat offenders face prosecution and the loss of their livelihood.”
The law states it’s illegal to sell knives to anyone under 18. Shops must follow the Challenge 25 policy, checking ID from anyone who looks under 25.
Operation Safety will continue, with Sussex Police teaming up with community partners to educate and enforce knife crime laws.
