Bedfordshire Police officers targeting anti-social behaviour (ASB) around vehicles including e-bikes, scooters and motorbikes have been operating in Houghton Regis and Dunstable this week.

More than 25 officers were deployed along with specialist equipment including a drone and off-road bikes in Operation Skytree, the force’s dedicated response to vehicle-based criminality and associated ASB.

There have been continuing issues in the area with anti-social behaviour including drug-dealing, vehicle crime and theft of vehicles, much of it being committed by offenders using e-bikes and scooters, in addition to vehicle-based criminality committed on four wheels.

The operation has been designed to build a picture around prolific offenders and disrupt their anti-social behaviour.

Officers have been carrying out a combination of high visibility patrols in areas where bikes, e-bikes and scooters are common, but also using plain clothes officers and unmarked cars to “spot” offences to obtain evidence and intelligence for further action and prosecution.

Off-road motorcycles from the Rural Crime Action Team were also on hand to access areas where normal vehicles can’t go, as well as roads policing officers.

PC Tom Sharp who leads on Operation Skytree for the force said, "We know that this sort of activity  is really concerning for local residents, and want to reassure them that we will take a hard stance against offenders.”

As a direct result of this operation, one man was arrested for drug driving and possession of a Class B drug, five vehicles were seized for driving offences, a number of stop and searches took place, and a pursuit with a stolen motorbike occurred with evidence captured for ongoing offences. 

“We have carried out this operation to show that we take these issues very seriously," said PC Sharp. 

"We have targeted this area of the county, but it isn’t just a one-day operation, nor is it limited to this area, and we will continue to pursue the people who look to make local people’s lives a misery and make this a hostile area for criminality to take place in, taking robust action against offending and utilising a wide variety of tactics to tackle this.”

Anyone with information can contact police on line via the website or call 101.

Alternatively you can report information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111