We arrested four people after stopping a stolen car in Liverpool city centre on Tuesday night (1 September).
Officers from the Roads Policing team spotted the stolen blue Vauxhall Mokka turning onto William Brown Street at around 7.10pm, and stopped the vehicle.
The four occupants were detained at the scene and a search of the car was carried out. It was established the car had been stolen in Northamptonshire on 10 August this year and officers recovered a large hunting style knife, a meat cleaver and an imitation handgun.
A 23-year-old woman from Widnes, an 18-year-old man from Birkenhead, a 31-year-old man from Tranmere, and a 23-year-old man from Birkenhead were arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article, possession of an imitation firearm and being carried in a stolen vehicle.
The 23-year-old man from Birkenhead was also arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, driving without insurance, driving other than in accordance with a licence and drug driving.
Inspector Carl McNulty said: “The diligence of officers in this case has helped take weapons capable of causing serious fear and harm in the communities of Merseyside off the streets.
“Four people are now in custody being quizzed on what they were doing in a stolen car with knives and an imitation handgun stored within it.
“We will continue to take action to make life uncomfortable for anyone suspected of being involved in criminality, and our efforts to take dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals goes on every day.
“If you are aware of people who are storing or suing weapons, please contact us so that we can take positive action to make Merseyside a safer place to live and work.”
Anyone with information can DM us on Twitter via @MerPolCC or message us on Facebook at ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’. Alternatively, call 101 or @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111.
