Three local businesses sold age-restricted items to under-16s during a test purchasing operation carried out as part of Sceptre, the national campaign to tackle knife crime.
White Horse News accompanied a team from the local Police and three 16-year-old police cadets on a test purchasing operation in Westbury and Warminster for the Knife Crime Awareness Week of Action.
The police cadets attempted to purchase knives and alcohol from local shops, with the aim of the operation being to educate local businesses and increase their vigilance and awareness when selling age-restricted items to young people.
Three out of the nine national retailers that were visited failed the test purchase, despite having Challenge 25 policies in place. Two businesses sold the cadets alcohol, despite seeing ID which stated they were underage. One business sold a Stanley knife to a cadet, having failed to ask them for any form of ID.
“They just completely ignored the fact that it came up on the till. I’m clearly not 18, let alone 25,” said one of the cadets.
PC Chris Rideout said, “Incidents which involve knives can have serious consequences and can affect whole communities. Retailers have a responsibility to play their part in making sure knives do not fall into the wrong hands. This operation was designed to check retail staff are utilising the Challenge 25 approach to prevent purchases of age-restricted items by children and young people.”
The police immediately spoke to the staff and managers at the retailers that failed. There will be no further action for the businesses on this occasion.
The police are working with Trading Standards and will look to do a joint test purchasing operation in the next few months.
