McDonald's restaurant stops using knife 'wands'

The measure had been in place since October 2023 at the restaurant in the town's Linthorpe Road

A branch of McDonald’s has confirmed it is no longer using specialist security "wands" to detect knives, following a fall in anti-social behaviour.

Security staff at Middlesbrough's Linthorpe Road branch started using the hand-held metal detecting devices last October to look for concealed weapons at night.

Around the same time, Cleveland Police launched its anti-knife crime campaign aimed at under-24s, in response to figures showing the area then had the second highest levels of knife crime in England and Wales.

It is unclear if the measures are in place at other McDonald's sites. The fast-food chain has been approached for comment.

McDonald’s confirmed it has put the security practice "on pause" at the branch, after witnessing a reduction in the amount of anti-social behaviour, though the tools remain available should they need them, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A spokesperson for McDonald’s said all its restaurants had team members trained in "de-escalation procedures", and it worked closely with local authorities wherever necessary.

The company added its branches worked with youth work projects to "provide safe, welcoming spaces" in their chains, and was funding programmes to provide training and opportunities for young people.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said the force continued to tackle knife crime, focussing on "both enforcement and prevention activity".