Suffolk: 14 Arrested At Latitude Festival

22 July 2013, 17:19 | Updated: 22 July 2013, 17:30

14 people have been arrested at this weekend's Latitude Festival - mostly for drug offences.

Police have so far taken just over 40 reports of crimes, including 16 drugs offences and 19 thefts - meaning crime overall is slightly down on last year.

Theft offences have included items stolen from tents and theft from the person crimes where visitors have been watching performances and had iPhones, etc, removed from their pockets or bags.

A quantity of drugs including heroin, cocaine, Ketamine, cannabis and MDMA (Ecstasy) have been seized.

Among those arrested are:

  •  Four people arrested on site on suspicion of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply - an 18-year-old man from Tattingstone in Suffolk who has been bailed to return to police on August 30, a 21-year-old man from Brighton bailed until September 5, a 17-year-old boy from Bungay bailed to return on August 27 and a 20-year-old man from Newcastle bailed until September 6. Three of these were initially detained by security personnel at the site before being handed over to police.
  •  A 25-year-old man from Ipswich and a 32-year-old man from London, who are believed to have been on route to the Festival, arrested by officers on the A12 at Darsham on suspicion of possession of cocaine with intent to supply who have now been bailed to return to police on 27 August.
  •  Two 17-year-old boys from north London who were arrested on suspicion of obtaining service dishonestly who have now been reprimanded for dishonestly obtaining wristbands.

Superintendent David Cutler, who oversaw policing for the Festival said; "Police have worked closely with the security staff at Latitude and also carried out an operation on roads around the site to deter and catch criminals. We have had some significant successes, stopping some believed to be involved in festival crime nationally before they even reached the site and dealing with those found in possession of significant quantities of drugs.

"Bearing in mind that 35,000 people were on the site over the weekend at this stage it appears crime has remained comparatively low."