WATCH: More than 800 terrifying weapons surrendered in West Midlands knife bins
More than 800 weapons including knives, swords and a bayonet have been taken off the streets of the West Midlands through weapon surrender bins.
People have dropped the harmful weapons in 19 post-box seized containers – known better as knife bins – across the region to tackle rising crime.
Deputy West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Waheed Saleem stressed the importance of taking the weapons off the streets to keep people safe.
Watch: Weapons recovered from knife bin in Bilston:
Mr Saleem told the Express & Star: "More than 800 weapons have been surrendered across the West Midlands – quite large numbers, and it's not just been knives.
"There have been axes, knuckle dusters, huge amounts of swords, zombie knives and whole range of weapons that have been surrendered. Some of these could be used for crime.
"It's really great we've taken these off the streets through the weapon surrender bins. We've got 19 across the West Midlands and it's an extremely important to keep these communities safe."
Knife crime has more than doubled in the West Midlands since 2012 – with knife bins set up in a bid to tackle the rise, and another bin due to open in Coventry in the next few weeks.
Mr Saleem said he echoed the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson's fear over a "tidal wave of violence" on the streets as lockdown measures start to ease.
The deputy PCC added: "We're really concerned. It's one of the biggest things people will face. As restrictions are lifted there's a potential increase in crime and we've already seen that – crime is going to the same levels as we saw pre-Covid.
"But there's added pressures on the economy, on employment, and added pressures on mental health. It's very clear we need to intervene now to reduce that [surge of crime]."
Four knife bins can be found in Wolverhampton – at St Chad and St Mark's Church in Lime Street, Morrison's in Bilston, the Tabernacle Baptist Church on Dunstall Road, and the New Testament Church of God on Wednesfield Road.
Other bins include at The Cornbow Shopping Centre in Halesowen, Tesco Extra on Birmingham Road in Dudley, Tesco on Littleton Street West in Walsall and at Sainsbury's on Freeth Street, Oldbury.
