Illegal use of scrambler bikes on Merseyside targeted
People riding off-road bikes illegally or anti-socially on Merseyside are being targeted by police.
Merseyside Police said scrambler bikes were used as getaway vehicles for gunmen in 12 of the shootings it has dealt with this year.
A 16-year-old boy died after he hit a lamppost and came off a scrambler bike in Bromborough, Wirral, in August.
Police will use information from local communities to focus on areas where illegal bikers are known to ride.
Officers will be patrolling parkland and open spaces on police scrambler and quad bikes and will seize bikes being used illegally.
Schools officers and PCSOs will also be visiting schools to educate children about the dangers of scrambler bikes and the laws surrounding their use.
Police said all off-road bikes including quad bikes, monkey bikes, scooters and small machines with a petrol engine, mini motors and go peds powered by an electric motor were classified as not suitable for use on roads or pavements.
Ch Supt John Martin, Area Commander for Wirral, said: "We will not stand idly by and let these offenders think they can run amok in our local communities.
"This operation aims to take as many illegal riders off our roads and parks as possible to make our communities safer.
"Merseyside Police wants to send a clear message to anyone using a scrambler illegally in Merseyside - you cannot ride your bike illegally in our parks or open spaces, and we will take the strongest action we can against you."