Cowabunga! Hand in your swords

Ninja weapons become illegal in August

Ninja style swords will be illegal to own from 1 August, and could land you in prison for more than four years if you're caught with one, even if it's stuffed away in the attic.

Police stations across Devon and Cornwall will be accepting them as part of a national Ninja sword surrender and compensation scheme in July.

In some cases people may be able to claim compensation.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Fleetwood, Force lead for Knife Crime, said: “Knife crime is not a major issue in our region, however we take it very seriously and will continue to educate the public and aim to remove knife crime from the streets. 

“Possession of banned weapons, even if just in a drawer or attic at home, can mean a prison sentence of more than four years.

“We urge anyone who owns a Ninja sword, or any other knife, to surrender it at one of our  knife bins, which can be found across the region at our Police Enquiry Offices.

“We need to continue to work together to prevent and reduce knife crime and keep our communities safe.”

Compensation can be claimed if a sword is surrendered during the surrender period – 1 to 31 July - and a claim submitted at a designated police station. To be eligible for compensation, a person must have been the lawful owner of the sword on or before 25 March 2025 and be able to provide proof (e.g. invoice or receipt).

Once the surrender period comes to an end, Ninja swords will be prohibited. People will still be able to surrender items to the police, but will not be able to claim compensation.

Knife surrender bins are now permanently situated in local police stations across the region so that the public can surrender knives safely and discreetly at any time. Information about where knife surrender bins can be found at: dc.police.uk/peo