Aug 8 2008 By Paul O'Hare
A HORRIFIC haul of 2752 lethal weapons has been taken off the streets in just six months by Scotland's biggest police force.
Strathclyde Police revealed yesterday that a major anti-violence crackdown had netted 1794 household knives.
The cops also seized 234 lock knives, 127 machetes, 131 daggers, 122 swords, 55 hunting knives, 35 axes and 254 other weapons.
More than 300 violent offenders were arrested during the campaign.
As Strathclyde Police cadets displayed some of the seized weapons, assistant chief constable Campbell Corrigan admitted he was stunned by what his officers had found.
He said: "Some of the items recovered are truly terrifying and yet these are the weapons being used by people on the street to kill and injure one another. There is a samurai sword in there and it has been sharpened. I challenge somebody to tell me why you need a samurai sword in the middle of Glasgow.
"We have recovered knuckle dusters and medieval balls and chains, and homemade garden implements have been turned into deadly killing instruments."
The cops recovered the weapons by putting a record number of officers on the streets in the first half of this year.
Around 1200 officers who normally handle other duties worked on the campaign for one day in every month and were sent to known trouble spots.
Corrigan hailed the work of the Violence Reduction Co-ordination Unit Task Force as an important step in tackling the west of Scotland's blade culture. He said: "Young people who carry knives say it helps them feel protected and most probably have no intention of using them.
"But if you carry any type of weapon, you could potentially kill someone.
"Lives are ruined by knives and parents need to take an active and responsible role.
"Do you know what your child is doing when they are out of the house? Are they carrying one of your kitchen knives? Parents need to know the answers to these questions. Taking action could save a life."
The campaign was backed by posters in train and subway stations and radio ads urging the public to shop the knife-carriers.
The seized weapons will be melted down and turned into a sculpture by students at Glasgow School of Art.
