Charity Crimestoppers has launched a new campaign appealing for information about the dangerous use of off-road motorbikes across Northumberland and Tyne & Wear.
Riding off-road motorbikes in public open spaces is illegal. They often cause significant damage by scarring green spaces, damaging property and other vehicles in the process. Riders also put themselves and other people’s lives in danger.
This new campaign, funded by the Northumbria Police & Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, encourages local communities to give information to Crimestoppers 100% anonymously, with the aim of helping to make our local streets safer.
To pass on information about the illegal use of off-road motorbikes completely anonymously, visit the Crimestoppers website (Crimestoppers-uk.org). You can fill in a safe and secure form or you can call the 24/7 UK-based Contact Centre on 0800 555 111. Young people can also report crime via the charity’s youth service website Fearless.org.
Help to keep our communities safe and tell us what you know about off-road motorbikes being used illegally. Useful information includes:
• The exact location, date and time the bike/s were seen
• Anything distinctive: colour, make, number plate details
• Where they are stored
• Who is riding them illegally and what they were wearing
• The names of those responsible for causing criminal damage or putting the public and themselves in danger.
Fleur Brown, North East Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “There are rising concerns over the illegal use of off-road motorbikes. Complaints often centre around these bikes being a threat to the public as they are ridden recklessly in residential areas, town centres, on pavements, green spaces as well as along beaches – with riders having no concern for their own safety or that of the public.
“Please help to keep our communities safe. Tell our charity anonymously who is involved in riding off-road bikes illegally, putting their and others’ lives at risk and damaging property and the environment. You may think that what you know is insignificant, but it may be a crucial bit of information that’s needed. Please tell us what you know and you will remain 100% anonymous.
“We understand that for many, it takes a lot of courage to go online or pick up the phone to pass on what you know. However, by taking that step of contacting Crimestoppers, you are helping to make our communities a safer place.”
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “This campaign is the latest effort in a raft of work we are delivering in the North East to crack down on motorbike related anti-social behaviour. From investing in drones in the skies to running highly successful policing operations, we are pulling out all the stops to tackle this issue head on.
“Now, with the help of Crimestoppers, we are turning efforts to asking the public for help – any information, big or small, could be crucial to catching offenders and freeing our communities of this behaviour that’s both a nuisance and incredibly dangerous. I know motorbike disorder is a real concern for some of our residents and this campaign is an opportunity for people, who perhaps don’t want to report to the police or want to remain anonymous, to come forward and do their bit to help fight and prevent this crime in their area.”
Please note: With Crimestoppers-uk.org and Fearless.org, computer IP addresses are never traced and no-one will ever know you contacted them. For telephone calls to Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111, there is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and calls have never been traced.
