Police crack down on anti-social and illegal use of off-road bikes in rural Northumberland

Officers have heaped praise on the pioneering partnership with British Transport Police (BTP) which uses a specialist drone to help identify offenders.

On March 26 members of Morpeth’s Neighbourhood Policing Team joined forces with BTP officers – and together they detected and uplifted five vehicles in a matter of hours.

Covering the area between Craster and Amble, the team saw the BTP drone scour the skies looking for signs of ASB-related activity – the locations of which were then passed to officers on the ground.

A total of five vehicles were seized – four off-road motorbikes and one quad bike. All of the riders were reported for driving offences, including one case of driving with no insurance.

Neighbourhood Inspector for the area, John Swan, has praised the operation, vowing its successes will continue.

He said: “This is a fantastic example of the results we can achieve through inter-agency teamwork. Between our officers on the ground and our brilliant colleagues at BTPe, who were our eyes in the sky, we managed to seize a haul of vehicles in just a few hours.

“Given the successes of this operation, we are looking to repeat this work more regularly to provide reassurance to residents and send the firm message that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

“We know that motorcycle disorder is an area of concern for many residents, and as a force, we are committed to taking swift and robust action against riders who are involved in anti-social behaviour and wider disorder.

“If you know anybody involved in motorbike disorder, or know where these bikes may be being stored, please let us know.”

Kim McGuinness, Northumbria Police and crime commissioner, said: “I know how motorbike disorder, caused by a small minority, can cause upset and concern amongst local communities and I hope this success shows how Northumbria Police is committed to working with others to explore new ways to clampdown on those involved.

“I’ll continue monitoring this success and I know Northumbria Police will keep ensuring their police response explores new tactics and technologies so we can effectively drive down this unwelcome anti-social behaviour and keep our communities safe.”