Boomtown 2026 saw 39 arrests and 62 reported crimes

Boomtown Chapter Five- Radical Redesign finished on Sunday, August 16, after five days of music and immersive theatre took over the Matterley Estate.

The festival, which saw 77,000 people attend, included headliners Madness, Scissor Sisters, Kneecap, Four Tet, Faithless, Shaggy and Skrillex.

Throughout the festival, 39 arrests were made, a small decrease from last year’s 40, and 62 crimes were reported to police overall.

Boomtown 2026 (Image: Giugliotto)

The arrests included two individuals who were charged with domestic violence offences and a third for drugs and weapons offences.

Three reports of rape were made at this year’s festival, which is an increase on last year’s two, with two people being arrested this year.

Crime figures provided by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary showed that the highest number of arrests this year, with 23, was for possession with intent to supply drugs.

Police said: "A large proportion of the crimes dealt with by police over the course of the festival were related to drugs."

Chief Inspector Alex Reading said that the ‘safety of the public’ is their number one priority and that ‘investigations into these incidents will continue.’

He added: “We know that those who commit crime at festivals are in the minority, and we are grateful to the majority who behave in a safe and respectable manner.”

The number of arrests for this year’s Boomtown events are as follows:

Arrests made:

Possession with intent to supply drugs - 23

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm - 4

Assault police - 1

Voyeurism - 1

Theft from motor vehicle & criminal damage - 1

Possession of a bladed article - 1

Robbery - 1

Driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs - 1

Harassment - 1

Common assault - 1

Racially aggravated public order offence - 1

Assault by beating - 1

Rape - 2

Crime figures for this year’s Boomtown event are as follows:

Crimes reported to the police:

Drug offences – 25

Theft from person – 2

Theft from vehicle/vehicle interference – 2

Assault with injury – 8

Assault with no injury – 4

Robbery – 1

Criminal damage – 1

Weapons – 1

Rape – 3

Public order – 2

Assault emergency worker – 2

Harassment/stalking – 3

Dangerous driving – 1

Domestic incidents – 3

Exposure/voyeurism – 1

Impairment – 2

Threat to life – 1

Last year, police had 32 reports of drug offences, 13 of assault without injury, 10 for theft and two for rape.

Criminal damage, robbery, voyeurism, malicious communication, threat to life and sexual assault each had one report made last year.

Last year police also attended five concerns for welfare, three road-related incidents, and one road traffic collision.

Chief Inspector Alex Reading said: “The safety of the public is always our number one priority when policing large events and festivals such as Boomtown.

“In order to do this, we have well-rehearsed plans in place, and we work closely with the event organisers and other key partners to ensure festival-goers and event staff know how to report any crimes or concerns, and that we have the right resources in place to deal with incidents that are reported to us."

Boomtown declined to comment.