The Philadelphia Police Department has been spotted rounding up ATVs and dirt bikes driving through the city as part of a two-day crackdown.
Steve Keeley, a reporter with Fox29 showed videos in posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, showcasing efforts from Philadelphia police officers to find the “illegally ridden” vehicles.
The police department reportedly used helicopter tactical air support to help spot the dirt bikes and ATVs from above.
Philadelphia Police helicopter Tac-Air is spotting the dirt bikes & ATVs from air above when they stop & radio the locations. @phillypolice ground squads move on them, rounding up dozens in “2nd night of detail confiscating illegally ridden ATVs & dirt bikes on city streets.” pic.twitter.com/GctrKrh4DR
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) October 5, 2023
Officers from the police department reportedly waited for the dirt bikes and ATVs to stop for food or gas before moving in to confiscate the bikes, according to Fox29. Officers ended up passing out fines of up to $2,000 for the all-terrain vehicles.
In one of the videos, Keeley can be heard talking with police officers who are showing him that “many of the dirt bikes and ATVs being seized” have their vehicle identification numbers (VIN) scratched off.
“You’re not going to buy a brand new bike and scratch the numbers off,” one police officer can be heard telling Keeley.
Many of the dirt bikes & ATVs being seized in this detail @PhillyPolice tell me have the vehicle identification numbers etched out. Leading these veteran detectives & officers to say those bikes & ATVs are stolen. “Nobody buys a dirt bike & chisels off the VIN number.” pic.twitter.com/hbmwu2LV8N
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) October 5, 2023
The efforts from the Philadelphia police to round up the dirt bikes and ATVs come after a motorcyclist was captured on video stomping on the back windshield of an Uber Eats driver’s car over the weekend.
Cody Heron, 26, was arrested on Wednesday. Heron is charged with possession of an instrument of crime, recklessly endangering another person, and multiple counts of aggravated assault, 6ABC in Philadelphia reported.
Bail was set at $2.5 million.
Keeley noted that as a result of the crackdown, the “impound may be running out of space soon.”
“They started in the daylight & still going strong in the twilight,” Keeley wrote.
IJR reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department for a statement but did not receive a response by the time of publication.