CRIME at Boomtown Fair has increased since last year, figures show.
Boomtown 2024: Revolution of Imagination finished on Sunday after five days of festivities.
Welcoming 66,000 staff and visitors, Boomtown was a sell out event, taking place between Wednesday, August 7 and Sunday, August 11.
Throughout the duration the festival, 37 arrests were made, an increase on last year's 25. But the figure is much lower than the 176 in 2016.
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Crime figures for this year's Boomtown event are as follows:
Theft: 33
Robbery: 3
Theft from motor vehicles: 2
Theft of motor vehicle: 1
Drug offences: 23
Sexual offences: 4
Assaults (including assault emergency worker): 16
Public order: 1
Stalking: 1
Concern for safety: 6
Dangerous driving/vehicle-related reports: 5
Offences against the state (court orders): 1
Offensive weapon/bladed article: 1
A man in his 20s died in the Royal Hampshire County Hospital following a medical incident at the festival in the early hours of Sunday, August 11.
Chief Inspector Alex Reading said: “We worked closely with the event organisers and partners to ensure that staff and festival goers knew how to raise any concerns or report crime.
“As a result, a number of incidents were reported, and swift action was taken, including making arrests at the site.
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“A large proportion of these incidents were theft or drug supply offences. Further enquiries into all of these incidents are ongoing.
“Sadly, as previously reported, we were also notified of a reported medical incident in which a man in his 20s died in the early hours of Sunday, August 11. The man’s next of kin were notified of this unexpected death and we are preparing a file for the Coroner.
“While the number of reports and arrests made has risen from the previous year, crime levels remain low when taking into consideration the number of people attending the event.
“We will continue to work with the event organisers and partners through the Safety Advisory Group to make sure every effort is made to create a safe environment for all.”
Last year's figures had fallen to the lowest in years, where a total of 69 offences were committed. This year, the number of offences has risen to 106.
Before this, there were 98 offences committed in 2022, 121 in 2019, 127 in 2017 and 176 in 2016.
Boomtown has been contacted for comment.
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