Just two knives were collected by Merton police during a week-long knife amnesty that came after a spate of stabbings in the borough.

Operation Sceptre, a London-wide initiative to tackle knife crime through increased patrols, weapons sweeps and knife amnesties, ran in Merton between October 23 and 30.

It included giving talks on knife safety in schools, getting shops to sign up to a responsible retailer’s scheme and conducting a number of weapons sweeps.

However, just one large kitchen knife was handed in by the public during the amnesty week, and only one other was recovered when a man being searched for drugs was found to have a large kitchen knife on him.

Police Inspector Jon Wilson insisted that Operation Sceptre was a success.

Wimbledon Times:

Operation Sceptre was a London-wide police initiative 

"He said: "They know we’re doing these weapons sweeps more and more, so they aren’t hiding them out. They don’t know when or where we’re doing them.

"It’s a testament to our tactics that we don’t find anything."

October 27: Borough police chief: Stop and search may increase after spate of stabbings

He added: "The public should be reassured that it’s a constant focus for us. We don’t want people carrying weapons of any sort. It never ends well, particularly with young people.

"If you carry a knife you’re more likely to be a victim of knife crime, and if you associate with people who carry knives you’re also more likely to become a victim.

"We want to arrest the perpetrators but we also want to educate young people, particularly about the dangers of carrying knives."

There has been a spate of knife crime in Merton in the last two months, with three young men suffering stab injuries in separate attacks.

October 23: Knife-wielding robber takes cash from Superdrug in Majestic Walk, Mitcham

October 21: Teenager released on bail after stabbing in London Road, near Morden Court, Morden​

October 14: Teenagers hospitalised after multiple stabbings in Morden

September 21: Man seriously injured in Raynes Park stabbing

On Thursday, October 22, a Superdrug store in Mitcham was robbed at knife-point, while two teenagers were stabbed in one week in Morden in October.

A 19-year-old was stabbed in the back in Morden Road, near to the junction with Wandle Road, on Monday, October 5, and a 17-year-old was stabbed at 3pm in London Road, near Morden Court, on Thursday, October 8.

A 17 year-old was arrested on Monday, October 12 after an investigation into the stabbing near Morden Court in London Road, Morden, on Thursday, October 8.

He has been bailed until a date in November while the investigation continues.

And, in Raynes Park, a man in his 20s was seriously injured in a stabbing in Lambton Road, on Saturday, September 19, after reports of a fight.