Arrests up at Gasparilla Pirate Festival

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Police in Tampa, Fla., say the number of arrests at this year's Gasparilla Pirate Festival was more than triple the arrest tally from the event in 2009.

Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said while there were a total of 127 arrests at the 2009 Gasparilla festival, as of Saturday the 2010 total was at 413 with arrests having to deal with alcohol, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported.

Police said of the 413 arrests this year, only seven were felonies.

The increased number of arrests comes despite poor weather limiting festival attendance Saturday.

"It's wetter, it's colder, it's different because there are a lot less people here," Gasparilla attendee Judd Hickinbotham said.

"It's miserable," attendee Chrissy Sanning offered.

Police Officer Joseph Perrone meanwhile was more focused on catching individuals sneaking alcohol into the festival than the windy weather.

"There's zero tolerance," Perrone told the Times. "Nobody can come through here with alcohol. If you catch them early, you're not going to have as many problems later."