POLICE in Warrington conducted a day of action as part of continued efforts to reduce the dangerous and anti-social riding of illegal off-road vehicles and e-bikes across the town.
Operation Hardhit, a Warrington LPU-based multi-department initiative designed to curb the dangerous and illegal riding of non-road legal and off-road vehicles in the town’s pedestrianised areas, was launched last year in direct response to concerns from members of the local community.
Since its launch in March last year, the Warrington Beat Team and the wider LPU have been protectively working proactively to dismantle the groups of individuals intent on causing anti-social behaviour in the town, endangering themselves and pedestrians.
Over the past year, officers have made considerable strides in reducing the number of dangerously ridden vehicles and non-road-legal vehicles within Warrington, with a particular focus on dangerous and antisocial driving on busy roads and heavily populated pedestrian areas.
Examples of this have included several arrests and warrants in relation to anti-social driving, with numerous electric and petrol motorbikes, as well as quadbikes, being seized, along with other items linked to different kinds of criminality, including cannabis plants, controlled drugs, cash, designer goods and weapons including machetes, crossbows and batons.
In addition, last September, officers from the Northern Problem-Solving Team and Neighbourhood Policing team crushed 20 illegal e-bikes, off-road bikes, and quadbikes that had previously been ridden antisocially or in pedestrianised areas of the town, permanently removing them from Warrington’s streets.
Last month, officers executed four search warrants across the Warrington area, seizing another twenty-one off-road vehicles and arresting two persons.
Most recently, on Friday 21 February, officers further intensified their efforts to remove these disruptive vehicles and launched a multi-faceted day of action involving several teams from within the Constabulary, including officers working under the county-wide Operation Scrambler team, the Roads and Crime Unit, Beat Teams, Tactical Training and Motorcycle Unit to disrupt criminality associated with the off-road and non-road legal vehicles.
Their work across the day ranged from a town centre deployment with led by the Beat Management team with additional uniformed and plain clothed officers focusing on tackling e-scooters and electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs).
As a result, officers seized a total of 12 bikes, including illegally adapted EAPCs and e-scooters, which now means that well over 60 vehicles have been taken off of Warrington’s roads since the launch of the campaign.
A variety of Traffic Offence Reports, anti-social driving warnings, stop searches and dispersal notices were also issued across the day.
Police Constable Matt Salmon, who led the day of action, said: “We know that the use of illegal bikes and anti-social riding is closely linked with other kinds of criminality, which is why we have, again, intensified our actions in removing these dangerous riders from the roads.
“Today, we have been providing a visible presence in the town and on the roads to deter any dangerous riding and observing activity whilst utilising all our available resources on the ground that leaves criminals no place to hide.
“As we have now surpassed over 60 vehicles being seized under this operation, we remain committed to keeping the streets of Warrington safe from those who think they can get away with flouting the rules of the road, endangering their own lives and the lives of pedestrians.”
Anyone with information regarding the dangerous or illegal riding of non-road legal or off-road vehicles, including electric bikes, motorbikes or quad bikes, in Cheshire should contact Cheshire Constabulary on 101 or give the details via the website.
Alternatively, information can be reported to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via the Crimestoppers website.
