A man found to be carrying a machete during a stop and search in Swindon yesterday afternoon was de-arrested after ‘providing a reason for carrying it’, police say.
Police officers stopped the 64-year-old male White Beam Court, off Bay Tree Court in Pinehurst, at around 3.30pm on Sunday, discovering him in possession of the large knife.
He was subsequently arrested and taken away from the scene in a police vehicle.
But Wiltshire Police say he was later de-arrested due to after he provided a reason for carrying a blade. An investigation remains ongoing and the male may be dealt with at a later date.
“[Officers] seized a knife and initially arrested a 64-year-old man, but he was then de-arrested to be dealt with at a later date as he was not believed to be involved in criminality and had provided an explanation for why he was carrying the knife”, a spokesperson said.
“However, our enquiries will continue and we would urge people to ensure they understand the rules around carrying knives to ensure they are not inadvertently breaking the law.”
For further information, visit the Wiltshire Police website’s knife crime webpage.
