How to spot an illegal rave, according to South Wales police and ITV

South Wales police and ITV have posted some advice on how to spot an illegal rave rave in your area.

Released via an online news story on the ITV website, the information explains how to identify one of the “unlicensed events” which they say “usually turn anti-social with large-scale disorder, criminal damage and substance misuse taking place.”

The statement from Gwent Police goes on to highlight “posters or messages on social media”, “unusual traffic activity” and “flattened or disturbed hedgerows” as some of the things residents should be on the lookout for. Members of the public should also be cautious of “marquees or tents being set up” and “locks and chains on fields and private land being cut or tampered with.”

View the full list of hints below:
-Posters or messages on social media advertising a rave
-Locks and chains on fields and private land being cut or tampered with
-Unusual traffic activity - i.e. large convoys of cars on quieter/rural roads
-Sound equipment and marquees or tents being set up
-Power generators being hired and bought onto land/rural locations
-Flattened or disturbed hedgerows
-Loud music and sound checks in locations where this would not be expected

“Organising an unlicensed event, such as an illegal rave, is an offence,” says the statement, and although Gwent Police “do not want to stop anyone enjoying themselves”, they will “take robust action” against anyone involved.

Authorities have been extra cautious of illegal raves since statistics were revealed showing numbers of the unlicensed parties were on the rise. In London, the amount of illegal raves almost doubled in 2017 from 2016, rising from 70 to 133.

There have been a number of reasons suggested for the rise, including the statistic that over half of London’s clubs shut between 2005 and 2015, according to the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR).