Organisers of illegal raves were today given a stark reminder of the tough line taken by Norfolk police with the destruction of seized equipment valued at more than £30,000.
A giant scrap grabber scooped up the costly speakers, sound amps and electronic equipment and hoisted it into an industrial shredder at recycling company Pearsons’s centre at Thetford where they were rapidly reduced to fragments.
Norfolk Police have a zero-tolerance to illegal gatherings in the county, and a van belonging to the organiser of an unauthorised rave on farmland was also crushed so it could not be used for unlawful purposes again.
Sgt Colin Barratt, of the Breckland area team, said: “We are sending out a clear message to rave organisers that their actions will not be tolerated. Knowing their equipment will be seized and disposed of will hopefully make them think twice about holding their
illegal events and fully realise the cost.
“For the public and landowners it is further evidence of our commitment to stopping raves from taking place anywhere in the county.”
All the equipment destroyed had been seized during the successful disruption of three unlicensed events held at Drymere and Cockely Cley in September and November last year. This also resulted in seven arrests, with the people involved being banned from rave events for two years. All of those arrested were also ordered to pay compensation to the landowners.
Sgt Barratt said the tough line is certainly paying dividends as demonstrated in the western area of the county where he and his team are based.
“Last year we had in the order of 35 raves in our part of the county. This year, to date, we have only had three. The big speakers are £1,000 each and it costs £10,000 for a rig, which is the whole kit and caboodle, so it is certainly hitting them in the pocket,” he stressed.
Sgt Barratt added that the police had offered the confiscated music equipment to various charitable organisations but none had declared any interest. “There comes to the point you have just got to shred it, to prevent it being returned to people who might try and use it again at other illegal rave events,” he explained.
The recycling firm’s managing director, Jo Pearson, said the shredded material would be put to good use. Salvaged metal will go for smelting and the wood will be sent to a power plant for fuel.
