Access All AreasA security firm is under investigation for allegedly supplying cloned badges to unlicensed stewards at UK festivals.
The firm LS Armour Security Ltd, based in South Wales, is currently under investigation by The Security Industry Authority (SIA) following a check, the BBC reports.
In a statement, an SIA spokesman said: “This type of unlawful conduct remains rare due to responsible organisers and security providers conducting appropriate due diligence.
“Nevertheless, the SIA understands that at this time of year, event organisers and primary contractors may not have sufficient SIA-licensed staff, which can lead to extensive sub-contracting.
“This provides opportunities to rogue providers that, with appropriate checks by organisers and primary contractors, can be largely mitigated.”
The inspection has led to two arrests and the seizure of business records, including contracts for security operatives at future UK events.
In a letter to promoters, the SIA’s deputy director commented: “If SIA-licensed staff arrive on site and are unknown to you, you must take all reasonable steps to ensure the person named on and in possession of the licence are the same person by requiring them to provide further evidence of identity.
“This will mitigate the risk of the cloned licence.”