Police officers sent a 16-year-old into seven shops in the Dursley area to see if they would get ID’d for a knife on Saturday, May 20.
The young person was sent into three shops in Dursley, one in Cam, one in Wotton-Under-Edge, one in Berkeley and one in Whitminster.
This teenager, under the supervision of police officers in plain clothes, entered shops and attempted to purchase knives.
They did not lie about their age or produce any identification.
It is a criminal offence to sell knives to children which if prosecuted is likely to result in a fine at court.
Repeated offences can result in a short custodial sentence.
The police undertook the tests as a part of their contribution to a nationwide initiative to tackle knife crime and the availability of knives.
Only one of the venues, in Wotton-under-Edge, asked the teenager their age and refused the sale.
In all the other premises a member of staff sold the young person a sharply bladed knife without challenge.
The staff who made these sales have been spoken to under caution and officers will be checking their background, along with any history at the venue, to resolve each case.
Sergeant Garrett Gloyn from the Dursley and Cam Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “I must say that having been on duty on the day that Josh Hall was murdered by another local teenager with a knife in Dursley the team were particularly disappointed to witness the sales in Dursley and Cam.
“Indeed staff at all of the venues had some knowledge of the circumstances of Josh’s death.
“We will be following up todays activity with liaison with GCC Trading Standards officers to look into any training needs at each venue.
“Although we don’t conduct these tests very often it is clear there is a need for them.
“We will repeat the operation in the near future.”
