Devon & Cornwall Police campaign to build awareness around spiking

Now that summer is here, Devon & Cornwall Police has been stepping up activity in a bid to deter offending and safeguard people who are out and about for drinks in the sunshine or in the evening.

Confirmed cases of spiking, where someone has deliberately administered a harmful substance to another person without them knowing, are quite rare in Devon & Cornwall.

While spiking is never the victim’s fault, anyone who is out and about should be aware of their environment and keep an eye out for each other, and report anything suspicious to staff or to the police.

It is vital for anyone who thinks they have been spiked to seek immediate help, from a trusted friend or member of staff or security at the venue they are in. As soon as possible after they are safe people should also report the incident to the police so that evidential tests can be taken.

Nationally 6% of reported incidents that are tested support the conclusion of it having been a spiking incident; in Devon and Cornwall this figure is 4%. Nevertheless, it can happen and as spiking by any method is an invasive and very harmful crime, Devon & Cornwall Police welcomes any reports from victims or people who have witnessed what they believe to be a spiking incident.

Reports can be made online through the Force website by clicking on “Report” and selecting the dedicated online spiking report form where you can report for yourself or on behalf of someone else, by calling 101, or anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers.

A reminder that if you think adding extra alcohol to someone’s drink without them knowing is “fun”, it is not. It is extremely dangerous and in the eyes of the law is treated exactly the same as any sort of spiking and carries the same potentially severe penalties.

Further information about spiking and how to report it can be found on the Devon & Cornwall Police website: Spiking | Devon & Cornwall Police