Criminals hiding knives and drugs in children’s playgrounds to avoid arrest

By Jacob Phillips, Local Democracy Reporter

Criminals are stashing knives and drugs under children’s swings and squeezing them into brickwork in attempts to avoid arrest.

Hammersmith and Fulham council officers have also found knives taped to roundabouts, slides and even inside lamp posts.

The west London council’s 72 enforcement officers have been regularly sweeping the borough and have previously found Rambo knives and zombie knives in their searches.

Hammersmith and Fulham enforcement officer Ian Brown, who was previously a police officer in Croydon for 24 years, said: “Playgrounds are an ideal spot. We look in everything just to check.

“Magnets can be attached on roundabouts or swings. Inside lamp posts. They will do anything.”

Criminals often use black duct tape to attach weapons or drugs to hidden spots.

Officers complete sweeps three to five times a month, as well as regularly searching for weapons while walking around on patrol.

Knives have previously been found with their blades buried in the dirt with just their handles sticking out so their owners can find them.

PC Simon Brett: “Often you come across weapons or drugs randomly.

“There was a stabbing here yesterday so whenever an incident like that happens there could be a retaliation, so we need to make sure there is no risk of any weapons.”

Met Police Sergeant Seb Goulding said: “We are usually making it more difficult for people to use weapons or drugs.

“Drug dealers quite rarely have all their stuff on them. They are going to have it in a location like this where there are hiding places.

“The neighbourhood teams have done a lot of work here.

“Hammersmith and Fulham is a very safe place to live and work. We have seen a reduction in offences. We have seen a reduction in homicides.”

Pictured top: A law enforcement officer checks underneath a children’s roundabout for drugs and weapons