Essex: Video: Police appeal to stay safe at V festival (From Maldon and Burnham Standard)

Essex: Video: Police appeal to stay safe at V festival

5:07pm Monday 13th August 2012 in Local News

Police are urging people to have fun and stay safe at this year's V festival. 

Last year there were more than 90 thefts at the two day event. 

Essex Police has teamed up with festival organisers to encourage people to safeguard their belongings. 

Chief Inspector Nick Lee said: "The V Festivalis an event thousands of people travel to Essex to enjoy and we want to make sure they are able to have a good time. We’re not out to spoil anyone’s fun but will be working to make sure the festivalis as safe and enjoyable an event as possible for everyone.

 

"Unfortunately there will always be a small minority of people who come to V for the wrong reasons – to commit crime and spoil other people’s fun. Our message to criminals is stay away. Our officers will be working to stop criminals in their tracks.

 

"We won’t tolerate those who set out to ruin the occasion by stealing, dealing drugs or committing other offences.

 

"Please beware of so called legal highs. There has been very little research into the short, medium and long terms risks of these substances. No one knows the effects of these and please remember the fact that they are legal does not mean they are safe.

 

"Finally, we would ask visitors to follow the safety advice we’ll be giving in the run up to and during the festival. Take sensible precautions and have a great time at V Festival2012.

Essex Police crime prevention advice

Officers will be on patrol throughout the day and night but festival goers are urged to leave anything valuable such as smart phones, blackberries, expensive cameras and ipads at home.

Visitors who feel the need to carry a mobile phone are encouraged to put their sim card in an old handset and leave their new phones at home. If you do have to bring any valuables, never leave them unattended and make sure you use the lockers on site.

Essex Police will be working with the Essex Drug and Alcohol Partnership (EDAP) throughout the festival. We will be taking positive action against anyone found in possession of drugs, drugs dogs will be on site and officers will be carrying out random searches. We’ll also be working with Trading Standards at Essex County Council to crack down on the sale of legal highs and anyone found to be in possession of them will be refused entry.

Drug amnesty bins will be set up at entrances to the site and drug workers from EDAP will be on site to engage with anyone found in possession of drugs for personal use and to offer them access to support services.

If you bring drugs with you, you could end up spending the day in the cells while your friends enjoy the festival.

While we don’t want to stop people having a good time we’re reminding festivalgoers not to put themselves in a vulnerable position by drinking excessively. Know your limit; keep a look out for friends and stick together especially during the evenings.

In previous years visitors have arrived at the festivalto discover they have been sold fake tickets via unofficial websites. Anyone with a fake ticket will not be allowed in and police will be working to keep ticket touts away.