Basingstoke knife-point robberies: New stop-and-search powers

Image source, Google

Image caption, Police said there had been four reports of robberies involving knives in a week

Police have been given extra stop-and-search powers in Basingstoke after a number of robberies in which people were threatened with knives.

Hampshire Constabulary said there had been four robberies involving knives in the town centre in a week.

A Section 60 order allows officers to stop and search anyone within a defined area and times without the "reasonable grounds" required in a normal search.

The order will run from Friday at 18:00 BST until the early hours of Saturday.