Police investigating illegal raves make third arrest

A third person has been arrested this weekend by police investigating the organisation of illegal raves in Staffordshire.

A Smethwick man, aged 28, has been arrested on suspicion of conspiring to cause a public nuisance. He remains in custody for questioning.

Chief Superintendent Carl Ratcliffe, from Staffordshire Police, said: “The three arrests this weekend hopefully demonstrate that we will take action against those suspected of illegal activity. These events are also in clear breach of the current Coronavirus regulations and put everyone at risk.

“The key to stopping these events is early intelligence. We’re calling on the public to help us – if you have any intelligence or hear about an event taking place, please get in touch with us so we can prevent it and ultimately save lives.”

A 24-year-old man arrested earlier on suspicion of the same offence has since been released on conditional bail with a curfew imposed.

If you suspect a rave/illegal gathering is being set up or there is suspicious activity, contact Staffordshire Police via Facebook or Twitter, call 101 or alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. The information available using @what3words or @ordnancesurvey will help officers to pinpoint the location.