Police have seized a number of vehicles in Darlington after an operation was carried out over several days targeting dangerous vehicles and nuisance drivers.

Darlington Neighbourhood Policing Team undertook the special operation with assistance from Durham Constabulary's Roads and Armed Policing Unit to target hotspot areas for anti-social road use.

Officers patrolled hotspot areas on e-bikes as well as utilised their drone to investigate reports of antisocial driving.

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Officers used powers including issuing Traffic 183 warning notices, which are effectively a first warning to road users that further nuisance driving will result in a vehicle seizure, as well as Section 59 powers which give officers the power to take vehicles off the road without prior warning within certain areas of the town.

The Northern Echo: Officers used a drone to help track down anti-social drivers in Darlington.Officers used a drone to help track down anti-social drivers in Darlington. (Image: Durham Constabulary)

The results included:

  • Honda 125 motorcycle seized after making off from officers on Corporation Road. The bike was found discarded nearby and rider located by roads policing officers. A 15-year-old boy was subsequently arrested on suspicion of riding without a licence and insurance
  • Motorcycle seized from an address in Newton Aycliffe after information was received that it had been seen at an incident in which several vehicles were seen racing in Feethams multistorey car park, in Darlington, on Thursday evening (January 26). The rider had already been issued with a Traffic 183 warning notice in November, meaning that if the bike or rider was involved in further antisocial riding, the bike would be seized. Several other vehicles involved in the incident have also been identified by officers and enquiries are ongoing to locate the owners
  • Traffic 183 warning notice issued to a man using an off-road bike on private farmland off Staindrop Road, near Branksome. The rider claimed the landowner had given him permission to ride there, but checks by officers revealed that no permission had ever been given
  • Ford Fiesta seized after being driven antisocially within a designated Section 59 area at Morton Park
  • Traffic 183 warning notice issued to two vehicles who were seen recently doing doughnuts in Feethams multi-storey car park
  • Traffic 183 warning notice issued to the rider of an electric scooter in Minors Crescent

Sergeant Paul Vardy, from Darlington Neighbourhood Police Team, said: “We know the frustration that nuisance bikers and drivers cause to our communities, which is why we are working hard to tackle them.

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“Through Operation Endurance, we are constantly gathering and monitoring intelligence on these people so that we can take action to disrupt them and bring a stop to their offending.

“If you have any information on nuisance bikers in your area then let us know – we will take action, as this operation has shown.”

Information can be emailed to opendurance@durham.police.uk or reported online.