Two Latvian Men Arrested After Fence Breach at RAF Molesworth

Two Latvian men have been arrested under the National Security Act after a perimeter fence was breached at RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire.

The two men, aged 36 and 32, were arrested inside the RAF base after Ministry of Defence Police identified an abandoned vehicle during a security patrol.

The alert was raised at around 22:00 BST on Wednesday, with further searches involving the Ministry of Defence Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary leading to the discovery of a small breach in the base's perimeter fence.

Men arrested inside RAF base

The men were initially arrested on suspicion of trespass on a prohibited site and criminal damage.

They were taken to a Cambridgeshire police station while officers continued their investigation.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said the pair were subsequently arrested again on suspicion of an offence under Section 4 of the National Security Act 2023.

The offence relates to entering a prohibited place for a purpose considered prejudicial to the United Kingdom.

The arrests therefore move the investigation beyond a straightforward trespass inquiry and into the UK's national-security framework.

Investigation continues

Police have not publicly established why the men allegedly entered the site or what their intentions may have been.

The discovery of an abandoned vehicle and a breach of the perimeter prompted searches by specialist police officers before the two men were found inside the base.

The investigation remains at an early stage.

Being arrested on suspicion of an offence does not mean the men have been charged or that any allegation has been proven.

Not currently linked to RAF Fairford incident

The arrests come amid heightened attention around security at UK military installations following a separate high-profile incident at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

However, police are not currently linking the Molesworth arrests to that incident.

Officers are understood to be keeping an open mind as they establish the circumstances surrounding the latest breach.

Why RAF Molesworth matters

RAF Molesworth is a significant military site in Cambridgeshire and has a long-standing role in UK and US defence operations.

Any unauthorised entry into a sensitive military installation is therefore likely to attract significant security attention.

The use of the National Security Act in the investigation also reflects the seriousness with which authorities are treating the circumstances.

For now, however, key questions remain unanswered — including why the men entered the base, whether they were acting together and what connection, if any, the incident may have to wider security concerns.

The investigation is ongoing and no charges have yet been announced.