Festival Crime Prevention Advice
The Greenbelt Music Festival 2010
The Greenbelt Music Festival returns to Cheltenham Racecourse for the 27th - 30th August 2010
In our new feature we are providing information for music festivals in our county and hope that the weekend remains fun and safe for all festival goers.
Please read our crime prevention information below and enjoy your weekend !
Tents
- Do not leave valuables in the tent
The tent may keep you and your possessions dry, but that is about it. It offers no security and is easily breached. Please do not leave any valuable items unattended within or around it. Anybody with their head in a tent need only defensively proclaim, if challenged, that they went into the wrong tent.
- Leave your tent untidy
Have no obvious bags or other items which can be easily and quickly identified and snatched. Do not leave everything in one place, split it all up and put into different niches and locations.
- Padlocks
A visible padlock on a tent may encourage the suspicion you are trying to keep something safe. A tent wall is very easily cut and you will be left without both your valuable possessions and shelter.
Camping
- Think of your tent as a home
If you are away from your tent others can keep an eye out for you. If you engage and introduce yourself with enough of those around you, you will quickly identify anybody who is unfamiliar.
- Set up a mini neighbourhood watch system
It may sound ridiculous but experience shows that the best and friendliest campsites are the ones with people who have made the effort to do so.
Valuables
- Identify your products with your postcode
This makes them a lot less desirable. A visible mark has more of a deterrent effect, but also consider marker pens or forensic coding products, which only show up under a uv light. The items can then be recovered back to you, if found.
- Consider what you are taking and what you intend to do with it
An iPod or other expensive music player will probably not be needed with all the other music around. If it is needed to just to hide the cacophony of noises around you, take some cheaper earplugs instead.
- Leave expensive cameras at home
You can therefore spend more time concentrating on the entertainment than looking after it, or wondering if it is safe left in the tent or car. Consider a disposable camera? It will still take those ‘off the wall’ festival pictures, and you can find the quality close up pictures of the band later online.
- Split your cash and cards into two hoards
If one lot goes missing – you have some back up.
Car Parking
- Don't leave any property on display in your car
Don't leave your bags on the back seat or your coat on the passenger seat. They might be worthless or of little value to you, but to a thief they could be hiding money, cans of drink or a mobile phone.
- Make sure you lock your car
Put the alarm on and any visible security device. Open the glove box to show that it is empty.
Personnel Safety
- Report suspicious behaviour
Do not put your self at risk by reckless challenging.
- Do not flash your valuable items around
Keep them hidden and not visible on a lanyard or strap. With your mind diverted to events on stage, pickpockets can strike. Do not keep wallets or money in back pockets. Pockets with zips are best.
- Keep to the main routes on site during hours of darkness
You can explore later, during the day, when safer to do so.