Police set up search zone as gang knifes pair in street
POLICE introduced stop and search powers after a man and a teenager were stabbed in Skelmersdale.
And they say they will push for the eviction from council housing of anyone involved in knife crime.
The man suffered a punctured lung in the attack, while the teenager was stabbed in the leg.
The attack happened at about 10.45pm last Wednesday and involved a gang of three men and two women.
The victims, aged 27 and 17, are both local to the area. Their injuries were described as not lifethreatening.
In the wake of the attack, at the junction of Birch Green Road and Ferndale, police authorised powers to allow them to stop and search anyone for weapons, removing the need for prior suspicion.
The order ran for two days from 7pm on Thursday and covered an area bordered by the M58, Glenburn Road and the A577.
Officers were drafted in from the rest of the county to patrol the area and police say that interactions with the public were “generally good spirited”.
A spokesman said: “A large number of individuals were stopped and searched, however no arrests were made.
“Known targets were visited, and hotpot areas were identified and patrolled throughout the night. Officers will continue to target the area, and general policing powers relating to stop and search will continue to be employed.
“Knife crime remains a priority and we urge the public not to go out in public with bladed articles or weapons.
“We are working closely with our partners at West Lancashire Borough Council to ensure any persons convicted of knife crime are considered for eviction from any local authority housing.”
The attack was the latest in a series of stabbings in in recent months.
Earlier this month, an 18-year-old needed plastic surgery after his face was slashed by muggers who stole his iPhone and bicycle.
In July, a 42-year-old man was arrested after a suspected axe on attack on the Carfield estate left the victim with a shoulder injury.
In another incident, a 34-year-old man was left in serious condition after being stabbed near Woodland Primary School on a Saturday night.
In June, a 20-year-old man was stabbed in the back and both arms during the day on a footbridge near the Concourse shopping centre.
Three people have been arrested in relation to the most recent attack, while detectives are appealing for information and are keen to talk to any witnesses, in particular the driver of a white van which pulled out of Ferndale at about the time of the incident.
Det Insp Ian Moore said: “We are treating this extremely seriously and I would appeal for anyone with information which could assist to get in touch.”
Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting log number 1597 of October 10 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.