Two off-road bikes seized and arrests made at nature reserve as Dudley police crackdown
A number of arrests were made and two off-road bikes were seized during a police operation at a nature reserve in Dudley.
Police have been on the look-out for off-road bikes and quads following complaints of anti-social behaviour in the borough.
West Midlands Police joined forces with a drone team and officers equipped with off-road traffic bikes in the crackdown.
A number of males were arrested and two bikes were seized from the Castle Hill Woods, which is located just off Forest Road.
The campaign comes following a push from councillors Keiran Casey, Karl Denning and Margaret Aston, who have branded the off-road bikers a "nuisance".
The councillors have previously campaigned for increased security measures, with barriers installed around the site last month in the hopes of deterring visits from bikers.
Councillor Keiran Casey, who represents the Castle and Priory ward, said: "We’ve been working on this issue now for quite some time, pushing for improvements to secure the site but also for the police to ensure they are stepping up patrols in a bid to catch those responsible.
"We were delighted when we secured the commitment and the funding for new security measures around the site and we’re glad that our pressure has paid off with more patrols from the police and this large-scale operation that has taken place over the weekend.
"We want to see more of this though and are constantly in touch with the local police team, as well as the council to see what more can be done to secure any other potential gaps, as well as increasing patrols further and ensuring those who are causing the problems are caught.
"In the end, we want this nuisance residents are having to put up with stopped, and for people to be able to enjoy the nature area without having off-road bikes speeding up and down the footpaths, so we’ll continue to do everything we can to support residents and hopefully get these issues sorted once and for all."
