Warning Over Bank Holiday Raves

26 May 2011, 12:44 | Updated: 26 May 2011, 13:14

Officers are appealing to countryside dwellers to help them keep raves out of the county this weekend.

With the bank holiday approaching, now is the time for organisers of unlicensed music events to set about searching for venues in rural areas.

Police are determined to maintain their robust approach to raves – but would welcome any support from rural communities.

Territorial Commander, Chief Superintendent Paul Fell, will be heading up the policing operation over the bank holiday weekend. He appealed for anyone who notices any suspicious activity around farmland or large open spaces to report it.

He said: “We won’t tolerate illegal events taking place in Northamptonshire.

“With the long weekend, organisers of raves will be on the look out for easy to access  rural locations capable of staging the event.

“We need local communities to be our eyes and ears, to give us the best possible chance of nipping this activity in the bud.

“People who organise or attend an illegal rave are committing an offence and are likely to cause annoyance or even danger to other people living in the area, damaging property or endangering wildlife.

“We will be patrolling ‘hot spot’ locations but anyone noticing unusual traffic movements should call us as soon as possible.”

How YOU can help:-

• landowners should check vulnerable locations and make sure proper security arrangements are in place
• check on previous known location for raves to ensure that lightning isn’t looking to strike twice
• be extra vigilant and report any suspicious activity in your community – is someone sizing up a location, has someone been testing out security measures such as fences or gates for access points, is a vehicle you do not recognise repeatedly driving around a certain area?

Tell-tale signs of a possible rave being organised:-

• posters or messages advertising an event
• locks and chains on fields cut or tampered with
• large convoys of cars on quiet rural roads
• sound equipment and tents being set up
• power generators being hired and brought into rural locations
• flattened or disturbed hedgerows