Mobile tactics ‘crushing’ the off-road yobs (From St Helens Star)

Mobile tactics ‘crushing’ the off-road yobs

11:46am Wednesday 8th October 2008 in News By St Helens Star newsdesk

A BIG crackdown on yobs riding quad and scrambler bikes has led to a massive drop in complaints across St Helens, according to the council.

Two years ago one of the most common complaints received from the public was the anti social use of the bikes on public land.

As a result St Helens Council funded two Honda 350cc bikes and teamed up with Neighbourhood Police Officers.

Riverside Housing Association provided a further bike last year.

The bikes are all fully liveried police vehicles equipped with blue lights and sirens as well as police radio sets.

Training has been provided for 12 officers funded by the Safer Communities Team.

The bikes patrol areas of open land, particularly where there have been problems with anti-social vehicle misuse.

In August 2007 St Helens Council and Merseyside Police ran an off road vehicle amnesty for the surrender of non-legal off road motorbikes.

A clear message was sent out that if you have an off-road motorbike, you cannot ride it around open spaces in your local park, and if you do, and you are not insured and your bike will be seized and could be crushed.

This tactic was as a result of the adoption of vehicle seizures powers for uninsured vehicles on public land and open space.

Numerous seizures of non-legal off road bikes resulted in reductions in anti social vehicle misuse across St Helens, with reported vehicle misuse down 44 per cent in 2007/08 compared against 2006/07 and down 49 per cent in the first quarter of 2008/09.

WHAT do you think? Have the police got a grip on the the yob biker problem?