Positive News - Ongoing fight against nuisance motorbikes

Today, officers from the Ashford Neighbourhood Task Force took positive action following multiple reports of nuisance motorbikes being ridden in the Stanhope area. Residents reported riders using footpaths and pedestrian areas, causing distress and forcing members of the public to move out of the way to avoid collision.

In response to these concerns, officers from the Neighbourhood Task Force, supported by a firearms unit, attended the area to locate those responsible and bring an end to the antisocial behaviour.

Two of the NTF's trained drone pilots were deployed and quickly located several bikes. Using the drone, officers were able to safely track the movements of the riders and successfully follow two motorcycles back to a local address.

Whilst the drone team maintained observations, other officers attended the address and located the bikes. As a result of the operation, one young male was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, driving without insurance, and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. A second male has been identified and will be interviewed at a later date as part of the ongoing investigation.

This was an excellent example of proactive policing and the effective use of specialist resources working together to address issues that matter to our communities. By combining local knowledge, technology and teamwork, officers were able to take swift and positive action against those responsible.

The investigation will now be progressed by our Victim Based Crime Team, who will review all available evidence, including drone footage and officer observations. At this stage, the investigation is expected to result in multiple offences being considered against both individuals as enquiries continue.

We would like to thank local residents for continuing to report concerns to us. Information from the public plays a vital role in helping us tackle antisocial behaviour and keep Ashford's neighbourhoods safe.