Teams of NYPD officers are entering their 5th weekend of a citywide crackdown on illegal and or unregistered motorized dirt bikes, scooters, and All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). Meanwhile, stores across the City continue to sell motorized scooters given there are seemingly no restrictions on such purchases.

 

Officials from the NYPD held a press conference at Norwood’s 52nd Precinct on Webster Avenue on Tuesday, August 2, during which NYPD’s chief of patrol, Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, was joined by Bronx borough commander, Assistant Chief Philip Rivera, commanding officer of NYPD’s Highway One, Captain Lee Manuel and the 52nd Precinct’s commanding officer, Deputy Inspector Jeremy Scheublin.

 

They and other members of the NYPD were surrounded by 186 confiscated bikes, scooters and ATVs, with half taken from riders on streets within the confines of the 52 command, which covers to Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Bronx Park, and University Heights, and the rest from other precincts across The Bronx.

 

“We made a promise to the community” Maddrey said, as he recalled a “bike crush” event in June. He continued, “And a lot of questions came up about how are we going to respond to New Yorkers. Are we going out there and [taking] these vehicles off the street? And when I spoke, I said, ‘Absolutely!’”

 

Maddrey said officers took part in “special training” conducted with by Manuel and the NYPD’s Highway Patrol to make inroads on the mission. He continued, “We wanted to improve their tactics to make sure when they go out here, that they’re grabbing these vehicles in a safe manner. The safety of all concerned is paramount.”

 

Revealing more on the recent crackdown, Maddrey explained, “We put together some special training, we developed some new tactics, some new strategies, and for the last three weekends, we went out there, every weekend we got better and better, and this weekend, I think it really culminated.”

Police officers across the five boroughs confiscated 240 bikes on Sunday, July 31. Of the 240 taken off the roads, Maddrey said between 150 and 160 bikes were taken off Bronx streets.

 

“We’ve crushed bikes before,” the chief continued, concluding his presentation by adding that they plan to continue to remove more bikes off the streets. “We’re going to continue to improve the quality of life for New Yorkers,” he said.

 

“We’re going to improve safety for New Yorkers, people driving, people walking on the sidewalks; we’ve had plenty of incidents where these bikes are being operated on sidewalks and causing danger to families, children, mothers, so, we’re going to press forward with this initiative.”

Recalling his warning to riders at the bike crush in June, Maddrey added, “I told people who ride these bikes, ‘If you don’t ride ’em, we won’t take ’em,’ but they didn’t hear that truce and they continue to ride so we’ll continue to take them.”

 

Rivera spoke on the criminal aspect of dealing with illegal bikes and scooters, saying, “There are residual benefits of doing an operation such as this that extend beyond the traffic issue… Unfortunately, quite often these bikes are used in robberies and shootings.”

He recalled how one individual on a bike decided to fire into the air during the recent Bronx Dominican Day Parade, while another rider stopped at Creston Avenue and East Tremont Avenue while also carrying an illegal firearm.

 

During a question-and-answer session, one reporter asked, “You don’t actually chase them, do you?” NYPD officers have been discouraged from chasing illegal dirt bikes and ATVs since an August 11, 2012 police chase with a dirt bike ended with the death of a driver, Eddie Fernandez, 28, and injuries to passenger, Adalberto Gonzalez, 26, at the intersection of Randall Avenue and Coster Street in Hunts Point.

 

Maddrey replied, “No, we don’t chase them; that’s not part of our policy. We just have to use good tactics, good tactics and a lot of times we just try and catch them off guard, catch them when they’re not paying attention.” He added, “Because we’re still actively involved in removing these bikes, I can’t let you know everything.”

 

The chief went on to say, “As you see, most of these bikes, ATVs and illegal dirt bikes, bikes that are not registered, bikes that are not properly insured, some of them have no vehicle identification number, a lot of times when we grab the people who are operating them, they’re not wearing a helmet. They’re not obeying the traffic rules, they’re riding on the sidewalks.”

 

He then explained that the NYPD Property Clerk would send a notice to the owners along with the current process to retrieve a confiscated bike. The owner would have to go to the precinct where the bike was taken within 15 days of when the bike was impounded, along with the appropriate paperwork. Police will not just let the owner ride away with a confiscated bike, so the owner would have to arrive with a tow-truck or a vehicle used to haul the bike away.

 

The weekend before the announcement of the crackdown, officers across the city confiscated 400 bikes. Since Jan. 1, the NYPD has confiscated 3,000 illegal bikes.

Meanwhile, several scooter riders Norwood News spoke to, and one scooter salesman all incorrectly believe scooters under 50 CCs (cubic capacity) do not have to be registered with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

 

However, a flyer provided by the NYPD shows a driver’s license is required to drive all motorized scooters and mopeds, even though bike shops are currently not required to ask for a driver’s license before purchase.

In the past week, our officers continue to address the issue of illegal dirt bikes & ATVs on NYC streets, target gang activity, advocate for criminal justice reforms and engage with the youth during numerous community events.

Watch the highlights for 8/3 to 8/10. pic.twitter.com/KXCRmLnGHY

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) August 10, 2022

Officers, civilian employees, and private tow truck operators spent hours loading up the different motor bikes and scooters onto flatbed trucks, police trucks and other vehicles outside the precinct on the day of the press conference.  Those bikes not claimed were due to be eventually destroyed.

 

One police source said, “The NYPD is aggressively pursuing every method to rid our streets of illegal dirt bikes and ATVs. If residents make such an observation, we strongly encourage residents to call 911 so that the groups can be tracked, and the NYPD can alert adjoining precincts.” The source added, “If an NYPD officer can safely stop any of the motorcyclists, and they are driving illegally, the motorcycle will be confiscated.”

On two occasions, the same police source declined to respond to a request for information regarding a post on the Citizens App of a motorcycle that apparently crashed into a police car on the Grand Concourse on Thursday, July 14.

 

Meanwhile, on Monday, Aug. 8, an employee at Frank’s Electric Bikes Shop on White Plains Road in the Van Nest section of the borough was asked if a 40 CC scooter wouldn’t need to be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles. The worker replied, “No.” When asked if he had heard about the NYPD crackdown, the unidentified salesman replied, “Ahh, I’m not sure,” before directing such questions to the manager who was away from the shop at the time.

 

Recent incidents involving scooters and mopeds include a pattern robbery within the 43rd Precinct, where five individuals are wanted in connection with three robberies in June and July, where a scooter was used. As reported, on Monday, March 16, a gunman fired wildly from the back of a scooter, hitting and killing Kyhara Tay, 11, who was walking home from school with friends.

 

On May 23, police charged Omar Bojang, 18, with murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon. On May 20, an unnamed 15-year-old boy had already been arrested in connection with the incident. A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

For all New Yorkers and the reasons we are out at night and on weekends. #VisionZero

Beginning today 8/1 at 10PM for the first time, NYC's 2,000 speed cameras will help keep New Yorkers safe 24/7/365.#Drive25 and always yield to pedestrians and cyclists. pic.twitter.com/Qq7XaiWGll

— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) August 1, 2022

As reported, and as a reminder, effective Aug. 1, tickets will be issued to those who breach the 25 mph citywide speed limit by exceeding the posted speed limits by more than 10 mph. Speed cameras are now in operation 24/7/365.

 

To report unacceptable noise levels caused by bikes, call 311.