14 arrests made over four days at Silverstone after 25 reports of crime
A total of 14 arrests were made over the course of four days at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix weekend.
Northamptonshire Police says there were 25 reports of crime made over the course of the four-day event. The reports included theft, assault and drugs possession and resulted in 14 arrests being made. A 36-year-old was also arrested after reports of woman being touched inappropriately.
Around 480,000 people visited the circuit from Thursday (July 4) to Sunday (July 7) – when more than 160,000 spectators watched the main event.
Police say they had months preparing for the event and making sure a policing operation was in place.
Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Tompkins, tactical commander for the second year running, thanked police colleagues who supported the huge four-day operation.
He said: “Almost half a million people attended the event and our priority was to keep the public safe and ensure they had an enjoyable, crime-free visit to our county.
“There were some challenges again this year, including the very adverse weather on Friday evening and potential issues with the result-critical England-Switzerland game, but that passed off peacefully.
“A huge amount of planning goes into ensuring the British Grand Prix is a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone and we will soon start the planning for next year’s event.
“It was an extremely busy four days due to the sheer volume of people on site, however it has been a successful and positive policing operation, with only a handful of incidents requiring police intervention.
“Planning for this event involves people from various organisations, however it wouldn’t have been a success without the support of the public, who provided us with 480,000 extra pairs of eyes and ears over the four days.
“I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the smooth running of the operation and helped to ensure the safety and security of racegoers, campers, staff, and contractors, as well as residents and road users.
“It is a real team effort, and we could not achieve this without the support from Thames Valley Police, South Wales Police, and of course our East Midlands regional colleagues along with Silverstone, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service, Highways Agency, local authorities, and others.”