Two arrested and charged with possession of knives in Birmingham

We’ve charged two men with possession of knives following arrests in Birmingham.

Solomon Burris, aged 20, from Walsall, will appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 2 July for a first hearing. He is on bail with strict conditions until his appearance in court.

Officers from our Project Guardian team made the arrest at around 1.15pm yesterday (Sun) on Birchfield Road, Perry Barr, following a short foot chase.

Officers also arrested a man on Saturday (6 June) at around 11.30am near Moor Street where a knife was seized.

Benjamin Lenton, aged 27, of no fixed address, was charged with possession of a knife and was remanded to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court yesterday (Mon).

Sergeant Kate Jeffries, from the Guardian Taskforce, said: “Our teams continue to work incredibly hard to take knives and offensive weapons off the streets.

"Every knife seized is potentially a life saved, and these knives are the reason why we need to continue to carry out stop and searches."

Project Guardian is a specialist taskforce which tackles knife crime and youth violence.

There is particular emphasis on reducing knife crime, through a range of tactics from plain-clothed operations to high visibility patrols and positive engagement with young people.

If you see something suspicious in your area get in touch with us by calling 101, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to stay anonymous.