Off-road bike squad recover 204 stolen machines

South Yorkshire Police have been celebrating the success of their off-road bike unit, which has been in operation for two years and recovered 204 stolen bikes.

Not only do they have a great record in stolen bike recovery, they’ve also issued 303 warnings to riders using their bike in an anti-social manner, seized 140 bikes for being used anti-socially or without insurance, and made 38 arrests.

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“Over the past two years, the off-road bike team have disrupted criminal behaviour and tackled issues that matter most to the public,” said Inspector Craig Clifton from the South Yorkshire Police Operational Support Unit.

“The purpose of the off-road bike teams is to enable officers to engage with and educate off-road bikers who are riding illegally and encourage them to correct their behaviour, but we will also take action against those who are repeatedly breaking the law.

“We are now working with local partners and using technology, such as drones, to help us tackle the problem, but we are only as strong as our communities.

“I would like to thank the public for continuing to report problems and providing us with intelligence about the bikes and riders. This information has helped recover stolen bikes and, where possible, reunite them with their owners.

“It also helps us link riders and bikes to crimes in which they have been involved with and continue to protect our communities from theft, burglary and other serious offences.

“We rely heavily on the public and our partners to guide our resources toward where they are needed most,” added Insp Clifton.

“It’s imperative that people continue to report issues affecting their quality of life, so we can continue to task our officers with tackling it.”

The off-road team has also helped find missing people. Last year the squad found a missing woman in woodland just as hypothermia was setting in.

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Moped gang jailed

Two men convicted of being part of a crime network that used mopeds to steal valuables have been jailed for five years.

Niaz Mohammad and Afiqur Chowdhury were sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court. Chowdhury alone made over £400,000 in just six years. The investigation was led by officers from the Met’s Operation Venice team.

“The investigation showed that they were the main players in a handling ring that generated hundreds of thousands of pounds,” said Detective Inspector Steven Brownlee, of Op Venice.

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