Police have warned people across Northamptonshire to be on the lookout for raves as the county braces itself for a sun-soaked Bank Holiday weekend.
Officers insiste they rely on information from the public when dealing with raves, either to be made aware one is happening, or be informed of suspicious activity that might indicate one is being planned.
Pc Nick Price, from the force’s emergency planning department, said: “We can nip illegal raves in the bud and stop them from taking place if we have reliable information about something which is likely to be taking place.
“Members of the public will usually ring us to complain about traffic movements and anti-social behaviour as people turn up to the rave, but they can also help us by being alert to anything that is out of the ordinary in their community, no matter how trivial it may seem.
“In many cases those people who are looking to set up a rave will visit the proposed site a couple of days before the event and I would urge anyone who spots and suspicious activity in their village, along a country road or around farm land, then please let us know.”
They have urged people to call them if posters or messages advertising a rave are spotted in a rural area as well as giveaway sings such as cropped bolts on a gate, people in modified cars stopping to look into a field and flattened or disturbed hedgerows
Northamptonshire Police arrested nine suspects at an illegal rave over the Easter weekend when around 1,000 people gathered in private land in Chase Park Road, Yardley Hastings, at about 11pm on Saturday, March 30. It ook officers until 4pm on Sunday to clear the site.
Members of the public can report suspicious behaviour via the Do It Online button at www.northants.police.uk or by calling 101.