Police are to install temporary knife arches in schools in response to the recent spate of stabbings, that police have described as "an unfortunate blip".

Five teens have been stabbed in four incidents within an eight day period. Arrests were made yesterday made in connection with the incidents.

Two boys, a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old, were detained yesterday on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm after two teenagers were stabbed in a fight at the Whitgift Centre in Croydon town centre on Tuesday, January 14.

Police investigating the stabbing of a 12-year-old boy outside Tesco Express in Whitehorse Lane, Selhurst, on Monday also arrested two teenage boys, both 15, on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm yesterday.

In a briefing today, Detective Superintendent Simon Messinger, who is leading Croydon Police's response to the stabbings, said more police officers have been drafted in to patrol crime hotspots and knife arches are going to brought in at some schools.

Your Local Guardian: Detective Superintendent Simon Messinger

Det Supt Simon Messinger

He said: "We are not sitting around waiting for things to happen. Police officers and CID are fully aware of the expectations I have.

"If anything comes in intelligence wise, we will go and deal with it and react proactively.

"We put everything in we can to make sure Croydon is as safe as it can be. We have got people in in relation to the stabbings, we are not being idle. Whether it is kicking doors down or going into schools, if we have a lead we will follow it up and we will find them.

"It is a blip, it is an unfortunate blip, nobody wants this happen. I have kids and I would expect the police service where I live to do the same thing.

"I sympathise and I fully understand, it upsets me that this happens in Croydon and I will so my best to make sure this is minimized. We will not rest on our laurels."

 

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