Middlesbrough McDonald's no longer using specialist 'wands' to find concealed knives

Linthorpe Road McDonald's, in Middlesbrough
-Credit: (Image: Daniel Hodgson)


A branch of McDonald’s in Middlesbrough has confirmed that they are no longer using specialist ‘wands’ to detect knives, following a fall in anti-social behaviour.

It was reported back in October 2023 that security staff at the branch on Linthorpe Road were using hand-held metal detecting devices to look for concealed weapons at night, following a rise in knife crime in the area.

Around the same time, Cleveland Police launched their ‘Carrying a Blade Doesn’t Give you an Edge’ campaign, which was aimed at 11-24 year olds, in an attempt to reduce the number of knives on the streets. At the time, Cleveland was the second highest police area for levels of knife crime in the country, with the West Midlands having the unwanted title.

The use of hand wands was conducted by the fast food chain’s security providers, in line with local authorities. A year on from that initial report, McDonald’s have confirmed that the practice is “on pause” as they have witnessed a reduction in the amount of anti-social behaviour. This was however qualified by the fact that the escalation tool remains at their disposal should it be required in the future.

A spokesperson for McDonald’s said “We work hard to ensure our restaurants are a safe and welcoming environment for all. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards anti-social behaviour, every restaurant has team members trained in de-escalation procedures, and we work closely with local authorities wherever necessary.

“We also believe in playing an active role in local communities and have committed to partnering every one of our 1,435 restaurants across the UK with youth services. we’re using the power of youth work to provide safe, welcoming spaces in our restaurants and funding programmes to provide training, real-world experience, and opportunities for young people in our communities. It’s our mission, that by 2026, supporting 460 youth work projects and 100,000 people in the process.”

A year on from Cleveland Police's ‘Carrying a Blade Doesn’t Give you an Edge’ campaigna, a spokesperson for the force said: “Cleveland Police continues to tackle knife crime, focussing on both enforcement and prevention activity.

“At the end of this week, ahead of October half term, the force will be launching its second phase of Carrying a Blade Doesn’t Give you an Edge, a knife crime prevention campaign aimed at helping young people to understand the dangers and devastating consequences of carrying blades.”

For the latest local news in your area direct to your inbox every day, go here to sign up to our free newsletter