Police and city officials in Newark announced a new police operation enforcing the removal of illegal dirt bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles, with nine dirt bikes and nine ATVs confiscated during its first week.
“Newark residents deserve safe streets, and ATV and dirt bike riders often come here from other towns jeopardizing that safety,” Mayor Baraka said.
“Aside from the public nuisance they make at night—revving up their engines and popping wheelies when residents are trying to sleep—drivers of these illegal vehicles usually try to “take over” a city neighborhood as their own personal rally trail.
It’s important that police enforce the removal of these vehicles from our streets.”
“These vehicles are not only illegal to be operated on city streets, but they are also driven quite recklessly, placing not only their riders, but a number of pedestrians and motorists at risk,” Director O’Hara said.
“These vehicles are very noisy, with drivers riding in packs and repeatedly circling city blocks. This quality of life issue isn’t tolerated in other municipalities, and it most certainly will not be tolerated in Newark.
I commend the police officers working this crackdown for their diligence and tact in recovering these vehicles safely.”
So far during the operation, police recovered nine dirt bikes—one from the 800 block of South 14th Street; two from N. 6th Street and Park Avenue; one from the 500 block of Clinton Avenue; one from Avon Avenue and Treacy Avenue; and three from one vacant apartment and a fourth dirt bike in another vacant apartment at a building in the 100 block of Roseville Avenue.
Police also recovered nine ATVs—one from Astor Street and Brunswick Street; one from the 600 block of Irvine Turner Boulevard; two from Mt. Prospect Avenue and Bloomfield Avenue: one from the 300 block of 4th Avenue; one from N. 6th Street and Park Avenue; two from the 200 block of Grafton Avenue; and another ATV was recovered after the rider was observed by police driving the wrong way on a one-way street in the 300 block of N. 7th Street.
One person has been arrested for obstruction of the administration of the law and resisting arrest during the operation. 59 motor vehicle summonses were issued associated with dirt bike or ATV use.