Weapon bins removed from Sheffield's streets after one is vandalised and has contents removed
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Anthony Olaseinde, who runs the Keep Sheffield Stainless campaign, decided to pull the bins temporarily and have them upgraded to make them more vandal-proof.
Mr Olaseinde said: “None of them have been damaged before so it made me a bit uneasy as I don’t want these weapons that we’ve taken off the street to end up back on the street.”
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Hide AdThe Keep Sheffield Stainless campaign was set up to reduce the number of knives on the street and create a safe space for those affected by knife crime.
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In recent years, Sheffield has been blighted by knife crime, which Mr Olaseinde believes means it can no longer be considered one of the safest places to live.
He said: “It’s disturbing. It’s worrying. I’ve lived in Sheffield all my life and it’s something I’m not proud of.
“I think the people who earn money and it’s their job to reduce this would step up.”
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Hide AdSouth Yorkshire Police recorded 1,349 serious knife crimes from June 2020 to June 2021, which is just a part of the violent crime in the city.
Mr Olaseinde said: “I just think that the police and the council should work with charities and people like myself so we can work together and find a solution.”
While the collection bins are being upgraded, Mr Olaseinde is personally collecting knives, free of charge, in order to continue the work he and the Keep Sheffield Stainless volunteers do.