Woman charged for taking knife into Lincoln GP surgery

Two people have been charged, including a woman who took a knife into a Lincoln GP surgery, as part of Lincolnshire Police’s targeted campaign to remove weapons from the county’s streets.

Multiple raids have been carried out as part of Operation Raptor – the force’s intelligence-led dedicated campaign to tackle weapons offences. Since it was launched on October 21, more than 60 people have been arrested and 100 weapons have been recovered.

Woman and man charged

A 37-year-old woman was arrested in relation to a knife, which was taken into Lindum Medical Practice on Cabourne Court in Lincoln on November 12.

Sarah Pidd, of Lupin Road, Lincoln, was charged with possession of a knife in a public place and appeared before Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on November 13.

She pleaded guilty and was fined £200, and ordered to pay costs. An order was also made to destroy the weapon.

Felix Thompson, 19, of Ermine Close in Lincoln, was charged with possession of a firearm (imitation BB gun) in Lincoln city centre on November 11. He will appear before Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on November 27.

The number of people who have been arrested in connection with weapons offences during Operation Raptor currently stands at 67.

Weapons seized and recovered

64 of the 100 weapons removed from Lincolnshire’s streets have been proactively seized by officers.

The other 36 have been surrendered to the force by members of the public.

Among the weapons seized are a machete, which was recovered in Westgate in Sleaford, knives from Lincoln city centre, a crossbow and a BB gun.

Weapons can be handed in at Boston, Skegness, Lincoln and Grantham police stations provided they are packaged and bagged safely and appropriately. However, police have warned to not attempt to bring items that might be unstable such as a hand grenade.

Click here for more information about the weapons surrender.

Police raids

Convoys of police units pounced on a string of Lincoln properties on Monday, November 4.

The Lincolnite went to a briefing at West Parade police station on Monday morning before accompanying officers, and various specialist units, on a raid in Welton Gardens in the Ermine area of the city.

Reporters watched as officers quickly surrounded the property, ramming the door and climbing through windows to surprise their suspect, but nobody was home at that address.

Tactical support and dog units attended two other addresses Chatterton Avenue and Lytton Street.

A man in his 30s and two women, one aged in her 20s and another in her 50s, were all arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs during that day’s raids.

A raid was carried out in the north of Lincoln on Tuesday, November 5. Three men – one aged in his 20s, one in his 30s and another in his 40s – were arrested on suspicion with intent to supply Class A and B drugs.

Weapons, including metal bars and a knife, were also seized.

A woman was arrested for a drug offence later the same week after armed police raided a ground floor flat in the Ermine area of Lincoln on Thursday, November 7.

Paul Myers, Detective Chief Inspector at Lincolnshire Police, said: “It is excellent news that 100 weapons which could have been used in criminal activity or to incite fear or violence have now been removed from our streets.

“I am particularly pleased that a significant number of these have been handed to us, as the owner has recognised the potential risks of possessing the item or acknowledged that it could fall into the wrong hands.

“It is really easy to hand these to us so please follow in these people’s footsteps and help us to make Lincolnshire a safer place.

“We will continue with our enforcement to take weapons from those who still choose to have or carry them and these people can expect a visit from us.”