Knife arch success leads to two arrests in Taunton

The introduction of a knife arch metal detector at Taunton Train Station has resulted in two arrests.

Avon and Somerset Police has worked in conjunction with the British Transport Police to set up a knife arch metal detector at Taunton Train Station.

During just two hours of operation, two arrests were made. A man, 31, from Taunton arrested who was wanted on warrant whilst a woman, 18, from Devon was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, having been stopped and searched with a quantity of Class A drugs and cash located on her.

The knife arches were first introduced in May at a number of train stations across Avon and Somerset as part of the ongoing Operation Sentinel in which Avon and Somerset Police are working in conjunction with the British Transport Police to target crime on the railway network.

The temporary arches are set up in the entrance to train stations and are effectively metal detectors, helping officers identify if any passengers are carrying weapons.

Members of the public are not forced to walk through the knife arch, but those who act suspiciously provide officers with an indication they may have something to hide. They also act as a quick alternative to stop and search and have resulted in both weapons and drugs being seized as part of arrests.