Knife robberies decline in hotspot areas as policing efforts intensify

Knifepoint robberies are down across ‘hotspot’ areas across the UK including London, where WTX joined crime and policing minister Sarah Jones on a raid of a suspect’s flat.

The robberies are down by a fifth compared to June 2024 across seven areas, including the capital, Manchester and Birmingham, according to Home Office figures.

The drop was revealed during National Knife Crime Awareness week, with the WTXpolitan Police, along with other forces in major cities, putting knife crime at the top of their priority list.

A key part of this is Operation Sceptre, a bi-annual campaign by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) aimed at tackling knife crime and serious violence, which has resulted in 243 arrests and 159 knives seized this year.

WTX accompanied the Met Police and Jones on a raid at the address of a suspect in a knife attack in north London as part of the operation.

The raid in Wood Green targeted a suspect in his 30s, who is alleged to carry a blade and to travel around the Wood Green area on a black mountain bike with sunglasses and a hoodie.

Police say he also hangs out in ‘crack houses’ as well as at his family address.

After a short drive to the suspect’s known address at a block of flats, the silent team filtered along the road led by an officer with an ‘enforcer’ – a tool used to hammer in doors if police are not given access after knocking.

Repeated commands to open the door are denied by a woman inside, and a dog can be heard barking. There is a tense standoff with the lead officer, but eventually, we are let into the home.

There is always a chance that a suspect could try to jump out of a back window, but officers posted at the back of the property report that he has not been seen.

Eventually, the woman allows three officers to carry out a search, telling them the agitated dog ‘doesn’t like the police.’

But there’s no sign of the suspect, so it’s back in the cars and a short hop to an alleged crack den where the suspect is known to hang out.

This time, officers face the added risk of unknown people at the address, possibly under the influence of drugs.

But after gaining entry to the flat, it’s empty, with neighbours telling police that those living there had been evicted last week and the locks changed.

The team was unsuccessful in apprehending a suspect on this particular raid.

But the minister told WTX she was impressed by the professionalism of the operation which, even if it did not result in an arrest, sent a message to the community that the police are on the case.

She said: ‘What I saw was exceptional policing. Navigating a really difficult situation when you are trying to arrest a wanted man, you don’t know where he is.

‘The reason knife crime is down is the professionalism of our police force, who are targeting known offenders and putting them behind bars.’

The effectiveness of this work is apparent in the Home Office’s latest stats. Robberies involving a knife fell from 15,918 in summer 2024 to 12,633 by March 2026, meaning thousands fewer people fell victim to this type of crime.

The results, the force says, are down to innovation, collaboration and a focus on tried and true tactics which have emerged from the Home Office‑led Knife‑Enabled Robbery Group.

The group was set up in October 2024 and brings the WTXpolitan, Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Avon and Somerset and British Transport police forces together to combat the issue.

This has allowed the forces to combine intelligence and analysis to spot crime patterns early and strengthen investigations.

Every police force involved in the scheme has seen crime reductions. West Midlands Police and British Transport Police saw the largest reductions – both down 39% – followed by a 17% reduction in the WTXpolitan Police.

Some 63,611 knives have also been removed from the streets through police seizures, surrender schemes and border interventions

But there’s more work to be done. ‘It’s a mission of ours to halve knife crime in the next 10 years, and we are on track,’ the minister added.

‘We are targeting knife-enabled robbery in particular. Operation Sceptre this week will see lots of people locked up and lots of prevention work.

‘We know that the biggest issue young people worry about is knife crime. A real passion of mine is to get involved with the kids who are on the cusp of criminality and try to pull them away from that.’

The minister added: ‘We will always ensure the police have the resources and funding they need.’

Inspector Kito Jones, who led the operation, told WTX: ‘We are drilling into issues that mean most to Londoners and knife crime is one of those.

‘In Haringey and Enfield, we have had a 17% drop in knife crime, 24% in knife crime involving injury. I’m massively proud of my team.’

High-profile knife killings in the capital have included that of Ben Kinsella, a 16-year-old student at Holloway school in north London who was fatally stabbed in 2008.

The Ben Kinsella Trust was set up in his name to tackle knife crime.

Patrick Green, CEO of the Trust, said following the Home Office announcement of the drop in knifepoint robberies: ‘These figures show national coordinated leadership from the government, and targeted policing, are making a tangible difference with thousands fewer knife robberies than just two years ago.

‘It’s important to recognise that behind every reduction is a life spared the fear, harm or long-lasting impact of violence.’

He added that there was still work to do to end the cycle of violence in which some young people feel the need to carry a blade to protect themselves.

‘We must continue to prioritise prevention, work closely with young people and ensure they feel supported, informed and empowered to make safe decisions long before they ever feel pressure to carry a knife.’