Teen, 16, arrested following 'Rambo' knife incident in Walsall

A teenager has been arrested by West Midlands Police following reports that a male had pulled out a weapon.

The incident took place on Thursday, in Stafford Street, Walsall, shortly after 2.25pm, with the boy being arrested following a short footchase with police.

The teenager was taken into custody on suspicion of possessing an article with a blade or point in a public place and has been released on bail with strict conditions.

The arrest comes as West Midlands Police continue their Operation Guardian campaign, which was introduced in 2019 to tackle knife crime in the region. 

During the patrols, officers as part of Operation Guardian officers carried out stop searches which resulted in a number of drug seizures and referrals to the support service Cranstoun.

Inspector Peete Poolton, neighbourhood policing manager at Walsall Local Policing Area, said: "This was an excellent arrest with another knife taken off the streets of Walsall. 

"Op Guardian officers play a vital role in our efforts to reduce serious under 25 violence in the town centre with the assistance of our dedicated St Matthew’s team."

Over the past five years Project Guardian has expanded to include specialised teams who tackle knife crime in Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country.