Police swarm Bentilee in ‘nuisance biker’ blitz as plane sent up

Police swarmed a city estate in an blitz on nuisance bikers – in an operation that saw the plane circling the neighbourhood. Officers with the road crime team hit the streets of Bentilee today where they seized three bikes and made a number of arrests.

It comes as the force continues to try and put the brakes on off-road bikes, and those being ridden illegally, from plaguing estates, key roads and beauty spots across the Potteries and North Staffordshire. StokeonTrentLive reported how residents in Bentilee had spotted the force plane circling above the neighbourhood this afternoon.

Now the road crime team has revealed how they teamed up with National Police Air Service, armed response officers, and response cops for today’s blitz. Officers say three bikes have been taken off the road and arrests made.

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A spokesperson for the road crime team said: “Patrolling Stoke-on-Trent we started in Bentilee. Not long before we seized three bikes (two stolen) and arrested three riders and a passenger.

“Team working with NPAS (National Police Air Service), ARV (armed response vehicle), RCT (road crime team) and response cops. Our net is getting tighter and riding unchallenged is less likely than ever.”

Such is the issue with nuisance off-road bikers across the Potteries that the police have once again linked up with Stoke-on-Trent City Council for Operation Transom. The initiative is a dedicated crackdown on the problem where council chiefs have warned of ‘enforcement action’ against anyone found to be a local authority tenant – or ‘in any way’ linked to a tenancy.

Last year and there were more than 350 incidents of nuisance bikers reported. Today and StokeonTrentLive has also reported how officers in Leek are ramping up patrols around Brough Park, Ball Haye Park and Birchall Playing Fields following reports of the anti-social riding in those areas.

We have contacted Staffordshire Police for more details on today’s crackdown in the city.

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