A SCRAMBLER bike and a quad bikes that were stolen from separate addresses in the town have been seized after police recovered 92 motorbikes following raids on a container site.
Twenty five warrants were executed by Matrix officers from Merseyside Police at the secret hideaway off Derby Road, Bootle after tip offs from the community.
The bikes include scrambler bikes, quad bikes, mini scrambler bikes and high-powered superbikes.
Tests have so far established that eight of the bikes are stolen. A scrambler stolen during a robbery in St Helens and a quad bike taken during a burglary in Rainford have been seized.
Examinations are ongoing on the remainder of the bikes.
A machete and masks were also recovered together with helmets, goggles, gloves and footwear.
A machete was placed in this quad bike
The sinister clown mask was among the items seized
The operation comes amid mounting concern about off-road bikes being ridden recklessly on the region's roads.
The stolen bikes recovered so far include:
· A BMW touring bike stolen from Liverpool earlier this year prior to its owner boarding a ferry to the TT races on the Isle of Man.
· A large quad bike stolen in a burglary in Bootle in May 2016
· A KTM 350 scrambler bike in a robbery in St Helens in 2016
· A Kawasaki Quad bike stolen from a burglary at Rainford recreation club in March 2016
· A Yahama stolen from Nottingham in 2011
· A Suzuki quad bike stolen from Warrington in April 2017
· A Kawasaki ZR 800 stolen in Birmingham in May 2017
· A Kawasaki scrambler bike stolen from Derbyshire in December 2016
Detective Inspector Steve Reardon said: “We will continue to take pro-active action against those involved in the criminal use of scrambler bikes on our roads and will do everything possible to locate and seize suspected stolen or nuisance bikes and arrest those who are putting the safety of others at risk.
"I would like to take this opportunity to reassure communities across Merseyside that we understand their concerns about scrambler bikes and are relentless in our efforts to tackle them.
"Such behaviour cannot and will not be tolerated on the streets of Merseyside and our response reflects how seriously we take this issue.
"I would urge anyone with information which could help us take these bikes out of circulation and make our streets safer to keep coming forward."
Anyone with information on who is using these bikes and where they are being stored is urged to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here