More than 8,500 bladed items have been safely disposed of across North Yorkshire, including at knife bins in Scarborough, Whitby, and Pickering, as part of a project to reduce serious violence.
More than 8,500 bladed items have been taken off the streets following the expansion of a knife bin project that includes locations in Scarborough, Whitby, and Pickering.
The scheme, which allows members of the public to dispose of knives and other bladed items safely and anonymously, saw a countywide rollout in early 2025.
Between December 2025 and May 2026 alone, more than 5,583 bladed items were collected from the bins across the region.
Once deposited by the public, the items are collected and destroyed by North Yorkshire Police to ensure they cannot fall into the wrong hands.
The initiative was designed and delivered by the Community Safety team at North Yorkshire Council, building upon a successful pilot scheme that was initially launched in 2023.
Following the success of that pilot, the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority funded the expansion of the project through a £15,000 grant from the York and North Yorkshire Serious Violence Duty Prevention and Early Intervention Fund.
This funding allowed new knife bins to be installed in coastal and rural towns, including Scarborough, Whitby, and Pickering.
While knife crime in North Yorkshire remains significantly lower than the national average, authorities state that the project reflects a shared commitment by the Combined Authority, City of York Council, and North Yorkshire Police to reduce serious violence and remove dangerous weapons before crimes can be committed.
North Yorkshire Police have also provided an interactive map of the locations of the knife bins, along with guidance on how to safely dispose of bladed weapons.
York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Police, Fire and Crime, Jo Coles, said:
"Thankfully we live in one of the safest regions of the country, but violent crime does still happen here and unfortunately crimes involving weapons have been increasing.
Knife crime devastates lives and families. Removing knives from circulation is one of the most direct ways we can protect our communities.
The Mayor David Skaith and I are committed to supporting early intervention activities to protect the public.
That’s why we’ve provided funding for a series of knife drop bins across the region, as a result of which more than 8,500 bladed items have been taken out of circulation.
Thank you to our partners with this project, especially the two local authorities and North Yorkshire Police. Every knife taken off the street can help to make our region safer for everyone."
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for corporate services, Councillor Heather Phillips, said:
"This initiative, designed and delivered by the community safety team at North Yorkshire Council, is making a real, visible difference in keeping our communities safe. Every item safely disposed of is one less weapon on our streets and one less chance for serious harm to occur.
It is especially encouraging to see communities across North Yorkshire playing their part in supporting the council’s scheme. The continued use of these bins shows how residents are actively helping to prevent violence and make their areas safer.
By working closely with our partners, we are taking practical, preventative action that helps protect residents and reinforces our shared commitment to community safety."
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