Tip-off helps police find off-road pool motorbike
Wednesday, 6th October 2010.
A tip-off from a member of the public has helped police get a useful breakthrough in their battle against illegal off-road motor-biking by youngsters on Haverhill's Clements estate.
Thanks to the tip-off, police were able to find one of the most prominent bikes, which had often been reported, and probably been ridden by a pool of youngsters.
Police are also asking bike-owners to be particularly careful in keeping their machines locked away, as the off-roaders will probably be looking for a replacement.
The bike recovered had been stolen back in July, but was almost unrecognisable now and in an extremely dangerous condition.
Police have had a campaign all summer to get the public to help stop the off-road motor-biking, partly because it is a nuisance to residents, but particularly because it is dangerous for the riders.
Paula Armstrong, mother of a teenager who died while off-road biking on land nearby a few years ago, made a personal appeal in support of the police campaign.
But reports had been coming in regularly in recent weeks and police again appealed for public help in finding where the bikes were stored.
PC Michael Potter said that on Tuesday last week a member of the local community saw the bike being hidden just before a police patrol arrived.
As a result, police found it in a nearby woodland area.
"It had been used for about two months as a pool vehicle, which means it was being used habitually by a variety of individuals for off-roading around the Ladygate woods area," said PC Potter.
The 125cc TMEC had a distinctive orange seat and a large black fuel tank. The rest of the bike had been stripped of bodywork and it was in a mechanically dangerous condition.
PC Potter said the condition of the bike was so bad that there was no chance of any forensic evidence leading to any users being identified.
They would be likely to be looking for a replacement so he advised owners to make sure they secured their machines carefully.
Thanks to the tip-off, police were able to find one of the most prominent bikes, which had often been reported, and probably been ridden by a pool of youngsters.
Police are also asking bike-owners to be particularly careful in keeping their machines locked away, as the off-roaders will probably be looking for a replacement.
The bike recovered had been stolen back in July, but was almost unrecognisable now and in an extremely dangerous condition.
Police have had a campaign all summer to get the public to help stop the off-road motor-biking, partly because it is a nuisance to residents, but particularly because it is dangerous for the riders.
Paula Armstrong, mother of a teenager who died while off-road biking on land nearby a few years ago, made a personal appeal in support of the police campaign.
But reports had been coming in regularly in recent weeks and police again appealed for public help in finding where the bikes were stored.
PC Michael Potter said that on Tuesday last week a member of the local community saw the bike being hidden just before a police patrol arrived.
As a result, police found it in a nearby woodland area.
"It had been used for about two months as a pool vehicle, which means it was being used habitually by a variety of individuals for off-roading around the Ladygate woods area," said PC Potter.
The 125cc TMEC had a distinctive orange seat and a large black fuel tank. The rest of the bike had been stripped of bodywork and it was in a mechanically dangerous condition.
PC Potter said the condition of the bike was so bad that there was no chance of any forensic evidence leading to any users being identified.
They would be likely to be looking for a replacement so he advised owners to make sure they secured their machines carefully.
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