After a recent spate of incidents involving scrambler bikes on Merseyside, police today carried out a variety of tactics to gather intelligence in tackling off-road bikes.
Officers on quad bikes carried out operations in Huyton and Knowsley to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour including vehicle stops, roadside checks and open land searches.
The disruption comes as part of ‘Operation Brookdale’ which was originally introduced in 2012 as a response to a rise in scrambler bike incidents.
A green space in Knowsley called Fairhaven was this afternoon the target for police who say it is a known scrambler bike hotspot.
In the latest of a long line of incidents across the region, a 26-year-old woman died after she was hit and killed by a scrambler bike.
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Emergency services were called to the tragic crash on March 1, at about 12.45pm.
The woman, aged 26, died four days after she was injured in a crash on Court Hey Road, in Huyton.
Merseyside Police said the scrambler bike rider remains in hospital, receiving treatment. The 29-year-old's condition has been described as serious, but stable.
On Friday, the force confirmed the incident was being looked at by the Independent Office of Police Conduct.
Inspector Carl McNulty of Merseyside Police knows just how harmful these ‘dangerous machines’ can be to the rider and members of the public.
Speaking to the ECHO, he said: “We’ve seen recently the devastating effect these bikes can have on not only the rider but also the public.
“These are dangerous machines, they shouldn’t be getting used by people who are unlicensed and uninsured and specifically on roads or in these localities.
“These are not just motorbikes they are dangerous pieces of equipment, they’re heavy and they can have a devastating effect, causing injury or serious damage.
“Unfortunately we’ve seen recently members of the public being tied up with regards to these bikes, it is unfortunate, but the community are now acting upon this, they’ve had enough and they’re supplying us with the intelligence we need.”
Inspector McNulty called on the public to continue to play their part in identifying scrambler bike yobs who cause misery across local communities.
He added: “We work closely with partners and communities, who play a key role in achieving results and we need this to continue.
“Our best chance of removing this threat is always to know where bikes are being stored before they get out on the streets.
“If you know where bikes are being stored, either in homes, storage units or elsewhere, please come forward and we will act on all information provided.
“We all have a part to play in keeping our roads, pavements and green spaces safe. As we have sadly seen in the last week with the death of a 26 year old woman in Huyton, it only takes one reckless action from a rider to devastate families.”
Police carried out land searches and looked for bikes which intelligence suggested had been stored in the area.
Inspector McNulty and his team showed a visual presence on a number of green spaces adding: “The next step is to act on community intelligence to seek out individuals who continue to break the law and continue to cause menace in the area and suffer for the local community.”
Anyone with information on who is using these bikes and where they are being stored is asked to message @MerPolCC, or @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Follow your local policing Twitter and Facebook pages to see some of the successes of Operation Brookdale, and how you can provide information.
