In the depths of Bermuda Police HQ is an arsenal of offensive and prohibited weapons that are so horrific, they will send a shiver down your spine.

On first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking they were the props from an Arnold Schwarzenegger film, but they were once either on the streets of Bermuda, or confiscated at the airport as they were about to enter the Island.

Among them is a selection of flick knives; a belt that conceals a knife in the buckle; and a walking stick that comes apart to reveal a two-and-a-half foot long spike that is sharp and thin enough to go straight through a human torso with ease.

But it is perhaps the crude, home-made, or individually designed weapons that seem to to accentuate the evil and wickedness that is too common in society today.

How anybody can dream up such contraptions is beyond belief, but they do.

Of the self-styled selection, one is an iron ball and chain, with huge iron spikes protruding from the ball, that is designed to be swung at a victim, resulting in serious injury.

Another is a similar, but very basic tool, which comprises a long piece of rope, with a rope ball at the end that contains a number of big, sharp protruding nails.

They are, apparently, designed to make swinging at a victim from a passing bike, or from arms' length, relatively easy.

And then there is the flick knife that has the handle of a handgun and is stored in a holster, giving the impression that the owner is armed.

But whether the weapons be knives, crossbows, batons, various forms of coshes, (which seem popular on the streets of Bermuda and are known as kusari), or spiked knuckle dusters, they all have the potential to injure, or even kill - and they have all been found in Bermuda.

Det. Chief Insp. Andrew Boyce, crime manager, for the Bermuda Force, said more and more men, usually aged between 15 and 35, were arming themselves with various forms of weapons in a bid to “protect” themselves.

The majority of them are single, and are still living at home with a parent, and, quite often, are not in regular work.

The senior detective said many people may not intend to cause harm when they first obtain their chosen tool, However, he said, if provoked and arguments ensue, chances are that the weapons will come out.

And he said for those who are wishing to have a weapon only as a status symbol, there is a big chance that they will end up in the wrong hands.

He said there was no evidence to show that the use of weapons was related to gang violence, or that it was necessarily down to drugs, but he admitted that there could be a link between the rising use of drugs and the rising use of knives and other weapons on the Island.

“The two cultures mix very easily,” he said.

But Det. Chief Insp. Boyce said everybody could play their part in trying to reduce the violence on Bermuda's streets.

He said it was up to parents to find out if their children, either young or grown up, owned such weapons and, it was their responsibility to then either destroy them, or turn them into Police.

He said: “I want to urge parents and family members to pay close attention to what their children are taking with them when they leave home.

“Some items may look totally innocent, such as a walking stick or something that resembles a cigarette lighter, but they can reveal something much more sinister, such as flick knives.

“It's for the benefit of parents to find out whether their children have knives or weapons concealed in their jackets or trouser pockets, because when these weapons come out, it is them who ends up paying the hefty medical or legal bills.

“Most of the people who carry weapons are unemployed and don't have a steady income, so parents end up paying. They can be saddled with bills, which sometimes run to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“If they want to help the community and their child, they should either destroy the weapon or give it to the Police.”

The detective said that during his time as a Police officer he had seen some horrific injuries caused by weapons.

Among them were loss of sight, brain damage, lost limbs and permanent scars. Of course, there has been death, too.

And he said most attacks with knives and weapons occurred in Bermuda on a Friday or Saturday night.

He said: “There was an incident a few weeks ago where a man had had a bit to drink in a club and had obviously got upset about something.

“He was in the middle of a busy dance floor just swinging a knife around him in aggression. Police attended and took the knife away, but they found out soon after that he had had another knife down his pants.

“I have to say, most incidents, that we know about, involve people out at nightclubs.”

But he said it was not only young men who were falling victim to knife attacks. Earlier this month a dog was stabbed in its back by someone who got upset or had a gripe about something. Fortunately, the dog received treatment and survived.

The detective added: “I would say the majority of people carrying these weapons are using them.

“That is why it is so important for parents to pay attention. Their son may not intend to use the weapon he has, but with alcohol, and in the right circumstances, he will use it.

“They should do something before it is too late.”