Knifepoint robberies drop in South Yorkshire after launch of new tactics
Police have stepped up patrols and deployed things like knife arches as part of their efforts to tackle the problem
Robberies involving blades in South Yorkshire have dropped over the past year, after the rollout of new police tactics to crackdown on the crime.
Police have been carrying out extra patrols in hotspots and increased the use of tech like drones and knife arches to track down suspects.
A dedicated taskforce was set up in October 2024 for an initial six months, which included officers from South Yorkshire Police.
Since June 2024 across West Yorkshire there's been an 8% decrease in robberies involving knives, with 49 fewer cases in total.
Crime & Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: “Those who have been robbed at knifepoint know how terrifying and traumatic that experience can be, and this government took immediate action through the Plan for Change to reverse this troubling trend.
“Through relentless focus, targeted policing and strong partnerships, we are turning this worrying rise into a sustained fall, and we have also started to see a reduction in overall knife crime for the first time in four years.
“But there is so much more to do, which is why we are bringing in the toughest measures yet to crack down on the online sale of weapons and invest in the futures of our young people to set them on a better path.”
August saw the introduction of 'Ronan's Law', which makes it illegal to possess, import or sell ninja swords.
Pooja Kanda, knife crime campaigner and mother to murder victim and the law's namesake Ronan Kanda, said:
“The statistics show that the Government has taken a proactive approach to reducing knife-enabled robberies.
“The significant drop we are seeing is a positive sign and a step closer to the Government’s mission of halving knife crime within a decade — something I’m confident we will achieve with the continued support and hard work of campaigners and the Government alike.”