20 arrests made during Silverstone weekend as theft, criminal damage, drugs possession and more reported
More than a dozen arrests were made during Silverstone weekend, as incidents of theft, criminal damage, drugs possession and more were reported.
Around 500,000 people visited the circuit during the four day event, with more than 160,000 spectators in attendance on Sunday July 6 to watch the main race of the British Grand Prix.
Uniformed and plain-clothed police officers were on duty throughout the event patrolling the circuit, campsites and surrounding villages and road network. Specialist resources, including armed officers, search teams, disruption officers and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) units, also carried out extensive patrols, while the national Live Facial Recognition team provided additional security support.
During the course of the event, Northamptonshire Police say 34 crimes were reported, with 20 arrests made, which they say is “low” “considering the size of the event”.
Superintendent Pete Basham for Northamptonshire Police said: “A huge amount of planning goes into ensuring those attending the British Grand Prix have the best possible experience and a safe and enjoyable visit to our county.
“With nearly half a million people attending the event over the four day period, it was an extremely busy time for all involved. Inevitably, there were a number of incidents that we were called to deal with, however, this is what we plan for.
“During the entire event, a total of 34 crimes were reported, including theft, criminal damage, assault and drugs possession, with 20 arrests made.
“Considering the size of the event and the sheer volume of people on site and staying in the surrounding area, the overall number of incidents has been low. We're always going to have incidents with this volume of people coming into an event, but thankfully the need for policing has been very limited over the last few days.
Superintendent Basham thanked those involved in the policing operation and the public for their support.
He added: “There are so many people and organisations involved in delivering a successful policing operation. However, we couldn’t do it without the support of the public who attended the event, and their willingness to engage with police and security and report any issues of concern. So a huge thank you to them and I hope everyone enjoyed their Grand Prix experience.
“I’d also like to acknowledge all our policing and partner colleagues who contributed to the smooth running of the operation, whatever their role. They all played an important part in ensuring the safety and security of everyone at the circuit and the campsites, as well as local residents and road users.
“It is a real team effort, and we could not achieve this without the support from Thames Valley Police and our regional and national specialist policing teams, along with Silverstone, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service, Highways Agency, local authorities, and everyone else who contributed in any way.
"And of course, normal policing business doesn’t stop. So thank you also to all colleagues across the force who were on duty as normal over the weekend, helping to fight crime and keep people safe across the rest of the county," he added.