You are reading

NYPD Is Confiscating and Destroying Illegal Dirt Bikes and ATVs That Are Being Used on NYC Streets

Photo: Courtesy of the Mayor’s Office

Sept. 17, 2021 By Christian Murray

Mayor Bill de Blasio sent out a strong message Thursday to the owners of illegal dirt bikes and off-road vehicles who are tempted to operate one of them in New York City: “Don’t even think about it,” he said. “Because the NYPD will find it and will crush it.”

De Blasio and high-ranking members of the NYPD held a press conference at a Department of Sanitation site on Staten Island yesterday, where they demolished more than 40 unregistered dirt bikes and off-road vehicles.

“These dirt bikes are dangerous,” he said. “They can endanger the lives of the people around them — anyone in the neighborhood,” de Blasio said. “We need to make clear that we’re just not going to tolerate this kind of illegality, and here’s a very visual way to get our point across.”

Authorities say that there has been a significant increase in the number of illegal dirt bikes in use this year, which has led to deaths and injuries. For instance, in New York City during the first three months of 2021, eight people reportedly were killed in dirt bike or off-road vehicle incidents.

Officials estimate that as many as 3,000 bikes will be removed from New York City streets this year, compared to about 500 last year.

The bikes are not just causing problems in terms of road safety, noise and pollution but they have also been used in several shootings and crimes, officials said.

The bikes have several characteristics that make them illegal and therefore unlawful to ride.

Any bike that lacks side mirrors, brake lights and/or turn signals is unable to be registered with New York state—and is therefore illegal to ride.

Residents are urged to submit tips about where illegal bikes are being stored, either by phone— 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS), or 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA) for Spanish— on the Crime Stoppers website, or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Police say all calls are kept confidential.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Deadly Belt Parkway crash claims lives of Springfield Gardens man and Manhattan mother: NYPD

A Springfield Gardens man and a passenger in his car died after they were involved in a multi-vehicle chain-reaction crash on the Belt Parkway near Kennedy Airport on the morning of Saturday, July 5.

Noah Thompson, 24, of 179th Street, was behind the wheel of a white BMW 428i traveling eastbound on the Belt Parkway in Howard Beach at 6:05 a.m. when he failed to navigate the roadway approaching the Nassau Expressway exit.

Far Rockaway man indicted for killing neighbor, wounding another in May double shooting: NYPD

A Queens grand jury indicted a Far Rockaway man for allegedly gunning down a neighbor and shooting another as he ran for his life in late May.

Navaldo Brown, 33, of Grassmere Terrace, was arrested and booked at the 101st Precinct in Far Rockaway on Tuesday, July 1, and he was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court later that day on an indictment charging his with murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree and other related crimes and is being held without bail.