Possession of weapons offences across Sussex have spiked by almost 40 per cent in a year, latest figures show.

Data from the Office for National Statistics found that overall crime is up around 4.5 per cent in the year to June compared with the same period the year before.

Over the same period, possession of weapons offences jumped by 39.57 per cent, with shoplifting up almost 45 per cent, burglary up 18 per cent and theft up almost 17 per cent.

It comes as The Argus launches its Cut Knife Crime campaign following a string of high-profile stabbings.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: “Sussex is a safe place to live, work and visit, with the lowest neighbourhood crime rate among its similar forces, one of the lowest homicide rates (per million population) in the country and knife offences well below the national average.

“We have a range of initiatives in place to make it as easy as possible for the public to report crimes, allowing us to catch more criminals, better protect our communities and safeguard vulnerable people.”

Sussex Police claimed the increase in the number of weapons seized is “indicative of successful proactive policing as well as impactful new tactics to combat crime, rather than an indication of criminal activity being on the rise".

The Argus:

The force said it is one of four piloting the use of serious violence reduction orders (SVROs) in an effort to stop knife crime.

The spokeswoman said: “When granted, SVROs give officers the right to search an individual in a public place to check if they are carrying an offensive weapon.

“The orders are applied for whenever someone is convicted of a weapons offence.”

Read more about our Cut Knife Crime campaign:

According to Sussex Police, there were 55 knife offences recorded in the county per 100,000 population in the year ending March 2023 - lower than the national average of 87 per 100,000 people.

The spokeswoman said: “We use data to analyse and spot patterns, identify risks and serial offenders as well as target resources more effectively and efficiently.

“We also have officers in plain clothes working covertly, in conjunction with prevention measures like knife arches and wands, to disrupt criminal activity.

“This enforcement work sits alongside a year-round calendar of engagement days, community events and education sessions alongside our partners to help us connect with the public and bring about long-term behavioural change.”

Our mission is to cut knife crimes and the number of people being injured and killed in stabbings through:

  • Increasing the use of knife amnesty bins
  • Educating young people about knife crime and making them aware of the effects it has on not just the victim, but those around them
  • Having more bleed control kits in pubs, shops and businesses