Half of Shropshire knife crimes still unsolved

There have been 343 knife crimes reported to the police in Shropshire in the past two years.

But of those, 189 are still under investigation by police.

Bottles or glasses - 6

Knife or dagger - 105

Sharp instruments - 20

2013

Bottles of glasses - 7

Knife or dagger - 91

Razor - 1

Sharp instruments - 5

2014

Bottles or glasses - 7

Knife or dagger - 93

Razor - 1

Attacks using daggers, knives, bottles, glasses, razors and other sharp instruments are among crimes recorded by West Mercia Police.

Some resulted in serious injuries to the victims, including gashes to the face, stab wounds to the body and "slash type injuries" to the neck. In one case a victim suffered liver and kidney damage.

In 2012 there were 131 knife crimes in Shropshire and Telford reported to West Mercia Police, with 74 still unsolved.

In 2013 there were 104 knife crimes, with 55 still under investigation, and in 2014 there were 109 knife crimes recorded up until November, with 60 still unsolved.

Over the three years there have been 18 cautions handed out, three summonses issued, eight community resolutions, one warning and 126 charges made, mainly for knife and dagger crimes.

West Mercia Police today stressed that attacks involving knives account for less than one per cent of all crimes recorded in its force area.

Many of these incidents involved a knife being carried as an offensive weapon, rather than it being used.

In the few cases which have resulted in serious injury, police say they have conducted full and thorough investigations in order to bring offenders to justice.

Sarah-Jane Lynch, a police spokesman, said: "Whilst knife crime is relatively rare in West Mercia it is something we take extremely seriously, and are keen to reduce.

"There are thankfully very few cases which have resulted in serious injury."