A TEAM of detectives from Cambridgeshire swooped on an address in Buckinghamshire early today to make the first arrest following the illegal rave in March on New Year’s Eve.

A police spokesman confirmed that CID officers arrested a 26 year-old man in Aylesbury.

He has been brought back to Huntingdon Police Station where he is now being questioned.

The spokesman confirmed he had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and burglary.

The arrest comes just days after police launched Operation Silwood in the light of the rave at an empty factory in Thorby Avenue, March. Damage is estimated at £50,000. Over 1,000 revellers attended.

Home Secretary Theresa May met NE Cambs MP Steve Barclay last week to discuss police response to the rave.

The Home Secretary later called for a concerted effort to identify and prosecute those responsible.

Mrs May said: “This event showed a blatant disregard for the owners of this property who were left to pick up the pieces. It’s essential that those responsible are brought to justice.

“I know the police will do everything they can to bring their investigation to a successful conclusion and welcome the fact they have made it a priority to apprehend the organisers.”

Mr Barclay visited the factory after the event and obtained photos showing the rave in full swing.

He said: “I think the Home Secretary’s comments show how serious this is.

“We need to nip this in the bud before someone else’s property is targeted.”

Det Insp Dave Murphy, ¬Fenland crime manager, said his team had spent a considerable amount of time liaising with factory owner John Finn, whose premises were broken into for the rave.

Det Sgt Matt Swash had earlier confirmed that police attended but did not intervene to try to stop the rave.

“We have to be careful and risk-assess every incident,” he said.

He said that “sending police officers into that event at that time would have caused safety issues and possible harm to persons present”.