Knife robberies continue to fall under taskforce crack down
The number of robberies involving a knife, or the threat of one, continues to fall in England and Wales.
Photo: Getty Images
The government has pledged to halve knife crime over the next decade, as part of the Plan for Change.
The new figures show a 10% reduction in offences under this government across the 7 police forces most impacted by knife crime, with areas like West Midlands seeing a 30% drop, following targeted policing efforts.
Interventions include the use of hotspot policing, acting on better intelligence on offenders, increased patrols using knife arches, drones and plain clothes officers.
A dedicated taskforce was set up in October 2024 for an initial 6 months to turbocharge this work after seeing a stark rise in incidents between July 2023 and June 2024, bringing together the Metropolitan Police, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Avon and Somerset, and British Transport Police.
With efforts continuing throughout the past year, all 7 police force areas are now seeing a reduction in robberies involving a knife since June 2024, collectively turning a 14% year-on-year increase in knife-enabled robbery into a 10% year-on-year reduction.
Crime and 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 4 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.
As the latest figures show, between the year ending June 2024 and the year ending August 2025:
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West Midlands Police saw a 30% reduction, the largest percentage fall, with 771 fewer robberies
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the British Transport Police also reported a notable fall of 107 offences, down 26%
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Avon and Somerset recorded a 14% drop, or 82 fewer offences
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South Yorkshire saw a reduction of 8%, or 49 offences
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West Yorkshire saw a 7% decrease with 66 fewer cases
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the Metropolitan Police recorded a 5% drop in knife-related robberies, or a decrease of 484 offences
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Greater Manchester Police reported a decline of 3%, or 35 offences
The fall in these types of robberies comes alongside a series of major interventions by the Home Office and police forces to tackle knife crime more broadly.
In August it became illegal to possess, sell, manufacture or import ninja swords. This measure, introduced under Ronan’s Law, followed years of campaigning by the family of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was murdered with a ninja sword in 2022.
Pooja Kanda, knife crime campaigner and mother to 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.
This coincided with a nationwide weapons surrender scheme that saw thousands of deadly weapons handed in by members of the public.
The scheme included 37 new surrender bins and a mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty, and reached high-risk areas like London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester.
Beyond the ban, Ronan’s Law is introducing age verification for online knife sales, fines for tech executives who fail to remove illegal knife content, and new offences for possession with violent intent.
The government is also piloting new multi-agency Prevention Partnership Panels to proactively identify and refer vulnerable teenagers – who may currently be falling through the net – to a range of different support services much earlier, including Young Futures Hubs.
Backed by a £2 million cash injection, 8 of these hubs will launch this year in areas with high levels of knife crime and antisocial behaviour, offering a lifeline to vulnerable young people. It is expected that 50 Young Future Hubs will be launched over the next 4 years.
Patrick Green, CEO for the Ben Kinsella Trust, said:
Reducing knife crime is about more than just bringing down crime statistics; it’s about making a profound investment in public safety and the future of our young people. When we successfully drive down knife-enabled robbery, we actively remove the fear that can often make people feel unsafe. Critically, this also helps dismantle the dangerous misconception that leads some young people to believe they must carry a weapon for ‘protection’.
The government’s targeted strategy to reduce knife-enabled robberies is crucial, because it also addresses the clear and harmful connection between robbery and the fear it can instil in young people.