South Wales Knife Crime Campaign Urges Anonymous Reports 2026

Key Points

• A campaign has been launched by Crimestoppers and the South Wales Violence Prevention Unit to encourage people to report knife crime anonymously.
• The campaign is being conducted using social media and digital channels in South Wales.
• Even small and secondary information could help to prevent any serious violence and save lives, according to the organizers.
• According to Crimestoppers, the reports will remain anonymous: no recording of calls, no tracing of IP addresses, and no asking for personal information.
• The information can be shared with the concerned police force without disclosing the identity of the person providing the information.
• One can get in touch with Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via an online form, which works round-the-clock all year round in more than 150 languages.
• This campaign is part of broader efforts to cut knife crime in South Wales, which includes #NotTheOne knife crime prevention campaign targeting children aged between 11 to 16 years old.

Wales Crime (Wales Times) October 16, 2026 — A new campaign urging communities across South Wales to report concerns about knife crime anonymously has been launched by the charity Crimestoppers in partnership with the South Wales Violence Prevention Unit. As reported by Herald Wales, the initiative is being promoted through social media and local digital platforms and encourages residents to share information that could help prevent serious violence.

What Is the South Wales Knife Crime Campaign?

The campaign asks people who may know about knife carrying, hidden weapons, or unusual activity in their area to come forward without fear of being identified. According to the South Wales Argus, it emphasises that information does not need to be first-hand and that even minor details could contribute to preventing harm.

Crimestoppers said in its campaign material that people may know someone who carries a knife, know where a weapon has been hidden, or have noticed something that does not feel right in their neighbourhood. The charity stated: “Even the smallest piece of information could help, and it doesn’t need to be first-hand.”

How Can People Report Concerns Anonymously?

People with information can contact Crimestoppers free of charge by calling 0800 555 111 or by completing the charity’s secure online form. The service is available around the clock, every day of the year, and can receive information in more than 150 languages, including Welsh.

Crimestoppers says it is independent of the police and guarantees anonymity through several safeguards. According to the charity, telephone calls are not recorded, there is no caller line display or 1471 facility, computer IP addresses are never traced, and no personal information is requested.

A Crimestoppers spokesperson told the South Wales Argus that information is passed to police without any identifying details. The charity also said that reports are reviewed and, where possible, forwarded to the relevant police force for action.

Why Is Anonymity Central to the Campaign?

The campaign’s organisers have framed anonymity as a way to overcome reluctance to contact the police directly. Crimestoppers said that some people may not feel comfortable speaking to officers, and that its service offers another route for sharing concerns.

In material quoted by the South Wales Argus, the charity said: “With Crimestoppers, no one will ever know who you are, and you will never be asked to give a statement or go to court.” It added: “Together, we can make communities across South Wales safer.”

The campaign also encourages people to recall details after a violent incident in their area, including the time of day it occurred or whether an unfamiliar vehicle was seen nearby. Crimestoppers says such details can add to a wider investigation.

What Does the South Wales Violence Prevention Unit Do?

The South Wales Violence Prevention Unit works with partners to prevent violence and address its underlying causes. South uk/police/">Wales Police says it works closely with the Wales Violence Prevention Unit, education services and trading standards as part of a public-health approach to knife crime.

The unit’s involvement in the new Crimestoppers initiative reflects that prevention-focused approach. Rather than relying solely on enforcement, the partnership is seeking to improve community confidence and encourage early reporting before violence occurs.

How Does It Fit With Existing Knife Crime Work?

The campaign sits alongside South Wales Police’s wider anti-knife crime work, including Operation Sceptre, which addresses knife crime, serious violence and illegal drugs. South Wales Police advises anyone with suspicions that someone may be carrying a knife to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A separate initiative, #NotTheOne, aims to discourage 11 to 16-year-olds from carrying knives. According to South Wales Police, the partnership-led campaign provides educational materials for teachers, parents, friends and family, and was jointly funded by the South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, the Wales Violence Prevention Unit and South Wales Police.

The College of Policing describes #NotTheOne as a community-led campaign supported by police, designed to reduce fear of knife crime, encourage young people to report concerns, and equip trusted adults to hold conversations with children at risk.

What Have Campaign Partners Said?

Crimestoppers’ campaign page states that making difficult calls about knife crime can save lives, while acknowledging that people can find it hard to report information. The charity asks the public to report anyone they know who carries a knife or information about where a weapon may be hidden.

In material published on its campaign page, a partner involved in the Knife Crime Concentration Fund said the fund allows resources to be focused where they can make the greatest difference. The statement said targeted policing, robust analysis and strong partnership working were being used to reduce violence, improve community confidence and create safer communities across Cardiff.

The same statement added that, while enforcement remains important, lasting success would depend on collective work to understand and address the issues that drive violence.

Background of the Development

Knife crime prevention in South Wales has increasingly combined enforcement with community engagement and early intervention. South Wales Police’s #NotTheOne campaign, launched in 2022, targets young people aged 11 to 16 and provides resources to help adults discuss the dangers and consequences of carrying knives. Its second phase began in April 2024 with additional resources for conversations with children and young people.

The campaign materials include accounts from people affected by knife crime, lesson plans, quizzes, clarification of legislation, myth-busting information and referral routes to third-sector organisations including the Red Cross and Victim Support. According to the College of Policing, those referral options allow self-referral without police involvement, reducing concerns about perceived criminalisation.

Crimestoppers has also run knife crime awareness work through its youth service, Fearless. In August and September 2026, the charity publicised a national Fearless knife crime campaign and related staff appearances on national television, indicating that the South Wales initiative forms part of a broader period of knife crime prevention activity.

Prediction: What Could This Mean for South Wales Communities?

For residents, parents, young people and community organisations in South Wales, the campaign may make it easier to raise concerns without feeling exposed to social or legal consequences. If people use the anonymous reporting routes, police and prevention partners could receive earlier intelligence about knife carrying, hidden weapons or local tensions, potentially allowing intervention before someone is injured.

For young people, the campaign may reinforce existing prevention messages from #NotTheOne and Fearless, particularly the message that trusted adults and anonymous services are available. However, its practical effect will depend on whether residents trust the anonymity guarantee and whether reported information leads to visible community safety action.

For community leaders, schools and youth workers, the initiative may increase demand for clear guidance on how to respond when a young person appears at risk. The campaign’s emphasis on small details and non-first-hand information could also encourage more cautious, low-barrier reporting, while leaving police and the Violence Prevention Unit to assess which reports require further action.