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It is an offence to possess certain weapons in private unless a defence applies, please see the table below for a full list of these weapons:
 
Knife Type Description
Butterfly knives Also known as ‘balisongs’. A handle that splits in the middle to reveal a blade.
Disguised knives A blade or sharp point hidden inside something that looks like an everyday object such as a buckle, phone, brush or lipstick.
Flick knives or gravity knives Also known as ‘switchblades’ or ‘automatic knives’. Folding knives where the blade opens automatically, by gravity or by pressing a button or something else on the knife.
Stealth knives Non metal knives or spikes which are not made for use at home, for food or as a toy.
Zombie knives Sometimes referred to as a zombie killer knife or zombie slayer knife. It is a knife with a cutting edge, a serrated edge and images or words suggesting it is used for violence.
Swords A curved blade over 50 centimetres, with some exceptions such as antiques, swords made to traditional methods, swords made before 1954, certain religious reasons or for the purposes of an organisation holding a historical activity or sporting activity for which public insurance liability is held.
Swordstick A hollow walking stick or cane containing a blade.
Push dagger A knife where the handle fits within a clenched fist and the blade comes out from between two fingers.
Blowpipes Sometimes known as ‘blow guns’. A hollow tube out of which hard pellets or darts are shot by the use of breath.
Telescopic truncheons A truncheon that extends automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in or attached to its handle.
Batons Straight, side-handled or friction-lock truncheons.
Hollow kubotan A cylinder-shaped container containing a number of sharp spikes
Shurikens Also known as ‘shaken’, ‘death stars’ or ‘throwing stars’. A hard non-flexible plate with three or more sharp radiating points, designed to be thrown.
Kusari gama A sickle attached to a rope, cord, chain or wire.
Kyoketsu shoge A hook-knife attached to a rope, cord, chain or wire.
Kusari or ‘manrikigusari’ A weight or hand grip attached to a rope, cord, chain or wire.
Handclaws A band of metal or other hard material worn on the hand, from which sharp spikes come out.
Footclaws A bar of metal or other hard material worn on the foot, from which a number of sharp spikes come out.
Knuckle dusters A band of metal or other hard material worn on one or more fingers.
Cyclone or spiral knives A blade with one or more cutting edges that form a spiral and come to a point.
Belt buckle knife A buckle which incorporates or conceals a knife.
A Zombie-style knife or machete A bladed article with a plain cutting edge, a sharp pointed end, and a blade of over 8 inches in length (the length of the blade being the straight-line distance from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade). With one or more specified features (it must not meet the definition of a zombie knife):
  • a serrated cutting edge (other than a serrated cutting edge of up to 2 inches next to the handle);
  • more than one hole in the blade;
  • spikes;
  • more than two sharp points in the blade (other than a a sharp point where the angle between the edges which create the point is an angle of at least 90 degrees or, a sharp point on the cutting edge of the blade near the handle).
 
 
Defences for possession in private include:
  • the weapon is an antique (manufactured more than 100 years ago)
  • in their capacity as the operator of, or as a person acting on behalf of, a museum or gallery
  • educational purposes
  • theatrical performances and rehearsals, the production of films and television programmes
  • conduct carried out on behalf of the Crown or of a visiting force
  • the weapon was made by certain hand made methods (zombie-style knives and machetes only)
  • the weapon is blunt (zombie-style knives and machetes and a sword with a curved blade of 50 centimetres or over in length)
Whether a defence applies will be judged on a case by case basis and will ultimately be a matter for a court to decide.
 
If you are unsure whether an item in your possession is illegal or you wish to surrender a weapon, you should contact your local police force.
 
Please also see the links below which provide information on the law relating to possession of knives and offensive weapons in public places:
Q337 - Is it illegal to carry a knife around in my pocket?
Q338 - What is the definition of an offensive weapon?
 
 

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With the increase in online banking and the introduction of contactless payments, criminals are finding new ways to scam people out of their money. There are a few common scams relating to banking.
 
Cash Machines
Cash machines are good targets for criminals as they can fit devices to cash machines that may trap the bank card or copy the card details and record the PIN. They may also try to distract you by making conversation, allowing an accomplice to then take your card and cash. Another tactic is to ask if something on the floor is yours, distracting you in allowing them to get your money and/ or card.
 
Ways to protect yourself against it are to make sure you are:
  • Be wary of anyone approaching when you are at a cash machine,
  • Always shield your PIN (Personal Identification Number), the best way is to stand close to the cash machine and cover the keypad with your purse/ wallet or spare hand,
  • If your card is ever retained by the machine do not leave the cash machine. Report it immediately by calling your card issuers number.
Cards and Contactless Payment
This method of payment has become increasingly popular and there are many myths around this use of payment.
 
One that is common is that people can come along with a card payment machine whilst the card is in your bag and take the information on your card to then commit fraud. This is not true because whilst a card reader that is contactless-enabled can read a card from 10cm away the information it receives is what is stored on the front of the card. Which is never enough to clone a card as it is incomplete for the information needed. As the card reader needs to be very close to the card this also makes it impossible for the details to be intercepted when in use, something that is also a common myth.
 
There are a few tips you can follow to reassure yourself that no one has used your card through contactless payment:
  • Always go through your bank statements and check which are contactless, to make sure you recognise them all,
  • Don’t let anyone take your card out of sight for payment under any circumstances. They could use this time to copy the information stored in the magnetic strip or the CCV code on the back of the card,
  • If your card or phone, with card payments, enabled on it, are ever stolen inform your bank as soon as possible.   
Online banking
With online banking becoming increasingly popular so are criminals trying to scam people out of their money. Some banks may give one-time passcodes sent to your device so you can make payments, always keep these and any personal details, passwords or memorable information safe. Never share these with anyone even from your bank. If someone asks for these details, they are most certainly a criminal. You can protect yourself by:
  • Making sure any passwords or memorable information are chosen with care, try to make them as random as possible,
  • Always keep any banking apps or software up to date by downloading updates when prompted,
  • Remember to log out of your online banking account or app every time, simply closing the app/ web page or turning off your device may not be enough,
  • If you use any banking apps/ websites in public take care to shield your PIN, passcode or any passwords used,
  • It is difficult to tell if public WI-FI spots are secure so never use them for banking,
  • Never share any security codes, passwords or memorable information that can be sued to access your account with anyone,
  • If your bank ever calls you get a reference code from them, then hang up and call them back using a number you know is safe. Such as one on their website or listed on your banking information. Only call back once the line has been cleared, if you are unsure about this call using a different phone than the one they contacted you on.  
See also Q807 (Is this a scam?) for further information. 

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All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This Act makes it illegal to cause harm or suffering to any wild bird, or to damage/destroy nests, eggs, or chicks. Some species of birds are afforded extra protection under the Act, prohibiting any disturbance whatsoever.

For more information relating to the laws protecting particular species of bird, you should contact the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). A link to the RSPB website is listed in related information.

If you think a wildlife crime is being committed you can report it to your local Police Wildlife Crime Unit or, by calling 101.

You can also report wildlife crime anonymously to Crimestoppers - please see Related Information for a link to their site. 

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