Northumbria Police seize 800 vehicles in crackdown on illegal riders
More than 800 vehicles have been seized by police as they continue to use “every tactic available” to stop illegal riders.
Since August 2025, Northumbria Police have been working with partner agencies to tackle the illegal use of electric scooters, bikes and off-road motorcycles across the region.
This has resulted in a total of 207 e-scooters, 463 e-bikes and 83 off-road motorcycles being seized over the past 12 months.
Chief Inspector Dean Hood, of Northumbria Police, said: “We recognise motorcycle disorder and the illegal use of e-scooters and bikes are pressing matters for the communities we serve.
“We are committed as a force to tackling this issue and will continue to work with partners to put a stop to this behaviour.
“Unfortunately, some riders believe they are untouchable. But we are leaving no stone unturned and will continue to use every tactic available to us.
“In some cases, we deploy specialist officers to forcibly remove riders from their vehicles if they pose a significant risk to the community.
“These vehicles in the wrong hands can have fatal consequences as we have sadly seen in our area.”
Officers have also removed 48 quadbikes from riders who failed to adhere to the law.
This includes vehicles being used in public spaces without a licence or insurance, those riding at excessive speeds on pavements, being a nuisance and causing fear to others in the community.
Chief Inspector Hood continued: “As well as asking riders to think twice, we are requesting that members of the community continue to share any information they think we may find useful.
“This helps us identify key areas of concern and behaviour patterns to better target our efforts and resources.”
Northumbria Police and Crime and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth, said: “I know the illegal use of e-scooters, bikes and off-road motorcycles is a real concern for many of our communities, so I hope the seizure of more than 800 vehicles brings some reassurance that action is being taken to address this issue and keep people safe.
“The results seen over the past year really do show the scale of the work being carried out by Northumbria Police, specialist teams and partners, and the importance of tackling behaviour that can cause fear and upset for residents.”