Hampshire Constabulary has revealed that there was less crime reported at the Isle of Wight Festival this year.
Thefts fell by a whopping 51% with just 16 theft offences reported during this September’s event, when compared to 2019’s festival.
A total of 10 drugs offences were recorded, alongside 8 sexual offences, 6 assaults, 3 public order incidents and 1 hate offence. A total of 53 offences were reported over the 4-day festival held at Seaclose Park.
Officers have been investigating the crimes reported and have made a number of significant arrests.
Superintendent Clare Jenkins, who led the policing operation this year, has said:
“The dedicated policing operation at the Isle of Wight Festival this year was a success.
“We maintained a close working relationship with the festival organisers and other partners, including the Isle of Wight Council and WightLink, in the lead up to and throughout the event.
“We appreciate that people will have very much been looking forward to either re-attending or attending the festival for the first time after it was cancelled last year, and especially as we now begin to return to some form of normality after a very difficult 18 months. We are pleased to report that the majority of people attending the event enjoyed themselves safely, responsibly and respectfully.
Article continues below this advertisement “Our officers and staff have been on-site providing a response to reported crimes and to deal with the small minority who were detained for offences. In addition, the local Neighbourhood Policing Teams have been out in force within the local community outside of the festival site, providing an increased presence and re-assurance to local residents and festival goers alike.”
Less people it’s not rocket science
Bob Dylan sang, you don’t need a weather man to know which way the wind blows.
Keep the genre of music unappealing to certain sorts and crime will stay low.
LOOK at the last Bestival here rise in crim stats, and think WHY was that.
Many know why, yet no-one can tell it how it is now.
I didn’t go this year as I had the kids,
So I went to the next best thing blackgang. No drill music or gangsta rapping there tho ?
No such thing as freedom of speech anymore. And it happened without many people even knowing as the lie is still freely spread about that this is a ‘free’ country. People are afraid to speak the truth about anything now so have to remain silent or talk in riddles and hope someone understands.
Thought the police presence was less than the previous festival. Well I suppose there were fewer people. Certainly from the smell of and sight of drugs over the whole site was something to be believed. Well done all. The dust under the carpet is growing.
After seeing the age of the acts this year, most tents will only have werthers origonals and Sanatagen, maybe some back rub cream..
The biggest crime is that it went ahead at all…. I see the figures for the island are going up nowagain, coincidence, I think not.
Considering numbers were cut it’s no surprise there was less crime