Cops squash baby bikes in nuisance crackdown
A tough new stance on the menace of mini-motorbikes has seen police use powers to destroy them for the first time.
Police scored a crushing success against nuisance bikers when a batch of confiscated mini-machines was destroyed.
The mini-motorcycles had been seized from around the county after the people behind the handlebars were seen riding dangerously.
And last Friday eight of them met a crumpled end beneath the rear stabiliser of a heavy tow truck in the yard of police contractors J & K Recovery.
Police put the metal to the pedal after repeated warnings to owners they could have their pint-sized bikes taken away if they were ridden irresponsibly in a public area.
They are not road legal and can only be used on private land with the owner's permission.
PC Glyn Milbourne, beat manager for Putnoe, Bedford, said: "Some are capable of up to 20mph, so they have the potential to be quite dangerous. They certainly are not 'toys'.
"Our biggest fear is that a youngster will not only flout the law, but with increasing numbers of these vehicles around, will be involved in a terrible accident resulting in tragedy for everyone concerned."
The eight mini-motorbikes sentenced to squashing had been confiscated under powers contained in the Police Reform Act.
Section 59 of the law allows police to issue riders with warning notices, and if the culprits are caught again, to seize their machines.
Owners then have 28 days to reclaim their property by paying a storage charge, or see them crushed.
Police had been threatening tough action on mini-motorbikes for months after receiving complaints from residents about noise and dangerous riding.
They said confiscations are the last resort, but added that they already have more seized bikes awaiting destruction.
17 October 2005
Topic: Cops squash baby bikes/Bedford, UK (Read 2226 times)