Reporting knife crime

Reporting knife crime

We know people find it hard to call and report information on knife crime, but when their sons were murdered, these mothers had to make much harder calls.

They’re standing together to share their stories of the sons they lost and the calls they had to make to show what knife crime does to families, and how you can make a difference by calling us with information.
 

  
Pastor Lorraine Jones

“It was like I was in another world. I felt lost. I had to call my Mum. It was the hardest call - I was out of breath and my stomach was tight. Even when I was making a call my hands were shaking. I tried it three times, I was just so helpless and weak. I never felt so helpless before in my life and Dwayne was just there.”
 

 
 

Jean

“We were in bed when the police knocked. They told us Christopher had been murdered. The first person we called was Christopher.

"The phone rang and rang and every second felt like a minute. You think pick up, pick up. You think it’s 4am, maybe he's asleep. I must have called 9 or 10 times - could have been more. No answer, put the phone down, ring again. Your brain's fighting reality. Come on, Chris. If he picks up, it’s all a mistake. This will all be a dream. Just pick up.”

 
Yvonne Lawson MBE

“I rang my sister. I said, “I've just been told Godwin has taken his last breath.” My sister was shouting, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!” The only balance I had was the floor, just to hold me. I was lying down, shouting and screaming in agony and despair. It’s hard to describe the pain.”


 



Becky

“I had to call a complete stranger about getting Archie embalmed. You don’t expect to be making that call about your son. Six weeks before we were planning holidays together, now I'm discussing embalming my Arch.”

 




Lillian

“Within five minutes of being told, I called my Auntie to tell her he was gone. That was the hardest thing about that day. I had to compose myself to deliver the news. It was hard because I know how close she was. Although she's my Auntie, she treated him like her son, so in Quamari’s eyes, she was his second Mum.”

 
Calling with information about knife crime may feel hard. But there are harder calls.
 
If you have information about knife crime, you don’t have to call the police. With our 100% anonymity guarantee, you can speak up with confidence that no one else will know.
 
We want to help you understand what sort of information could be useful in preventing knife crime in your area, and to provide a place to give information safely and anonymously.
 

What information is useful?

Intel, or intelligence, is simply information. This doesn’t need to be the name of offenders.

If there’s been a violent incident in your area, you may remember details from that day. Small details such as the time of day the incident occurred, or if you noticed a vehicle that isn’t from the area; all these details will add to a wider investigation.

You know your area and if things don’t feel right to you, they probably aren’t.
 
  • Do you know anyone in your area that carries a knife, or where a weapon has been hidden?
  • Are cars arriving at times of day that feel unusual?
  • Are drug deals taking place? If so, where are they usually taking place?
Whether the information is something you’ve heard first-hand or hearsay, this is all useful information which can be investigated and validated.
 

What happens after I give information?

Your information could be critical, so everything is reviewed and where possible acted upon by forwarding on to the relevant police force. We never take personal information, so you cannot be identified. You’ll stay 100% anonymous. Always.
 

Discover more about the steps we take to guarantee your anonymity:

 



Tell us what you know about knife crime and we will know what to do with it.

 

 



 


 

If you’ve been affected by crime, Victim Support can give you the help you need to move forward.

Their services are free, confidential and available to anyone in England and Wales, regardless of whether the crime has been reported or how long ago it happened.

Call their free Supportline on 08 08 16 89 111.



2 February 2023