Illegally-modified bikes have been seized by police as part of a continued crackdown on motorcycle crime.
Officers carried out a day-long “strike” in Sunderland city centre as part of Operation Capio, Northumbria Police’s dedicated initiative to tackle all forms of motorcycle-related criminality.
The activity, working in partnership with the Sunderland Altogether Improving Lives (SAIL) team, followed reports from members of the community concerned about a spike in disorder and anti-social behaviour linked to motorcycles.
It was reported that riders had been mounting pavements and walkways across the city centre, posing a risk to pedestrians and members of the public.
The dedicated day of action, on Wednesday (July 24), brought what the force said were “notable results”, with four bikes seized each of which was found to have been illegally altered to reach speeds up to 40mph.
All four will now be destroyed.
Sergeant Chris McClennan coordinated the Op Capio day of action and thanked everyone involved for their dedication and commitment.
He said: “We fully understand and recognise the detrimental impact that motorcycle-related crime can have across Northumbria and that’s why it’s imperative that we continue to seize these bikes and identify the riders who are making life a misery for others.
“This day of action was not a one-off and follows significant intelligence received from members of the community who are frankly fed up of this type of disorder and anti-social behaviour.
“My message to residents and businesses alike is one of thanks and reassurance.
“We have listened to your concerns, and we are taking strong and robust action to ensure this type of criminality is met head-on.
“As part of Op Capio, we have officers across the entire force area who are proactively targeting nuisance riders and looking to take these illegal bikes off our streets.”
Sgt McClennan also appealed for the public’s continued help as part of the crackdown.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone for their support and co-operation,” he said.
“As ever, we’d encourage anyone who has information about motorcycle-related crime in their area to get in touch and report it, so we can take action.
“Crucially, we want to know where these bikes are being stored overnight.
“Your information could prove the key to our ongoing operation as we all strive to ensure the North East remains a safe and hassle-free environment for all.”
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Anyone with information can get in touch by sending a message to the force, or by using the live chat function to its website.
For those without access to either function, they should ring on the 101 non-emergency number.
In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, callers are always advised to ring 999.
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