Police targeting Grand Prix touts

Police will target ticket touts at the British Grand Prix

Touts dealing in fraudulent or stolen tickets at the British Grand Prix have been told to stay away or face arrest.

Supt John Jones of Northamptonshire Police has contacted known touts and advised them to stay away from the sell-out event starting on 4 July.

He said: "There are many individuals who attend the British Grand Prix at Silverstone who exploit the event.

"They offer fraudulent or stolen tickets. If they turn up they will be targeted as potential offenders."

The offensive against ticket touts is one of the main planks for the crime operation at the three-day event.

In recent years, the event has been largely trouble-free, with few crimes and incidents of public order reported.

But Supt Jones said: "Fraudulent ticket sales are an issue which Silverstone is taking very seriously. The people who tout tickets tend to be involved in all sorts of other criminal activity.

"We will be carrying out an operation against ticket touts which we hope will head these people off at the start.

"We have written to known touts who have caused us problems in the past, warning them not to ply their trade at Silverstone."