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An illegal e-bike capable of doing over 80mph has been seized by police in Huddersfield.
The dangerous e-bike was confiscated by West Yorkshire Police during a four-week Safer Street blitz on street crime and shoplifting in Huddersfield town centre.
Almost 50 arrests were made during the crackdown in August. Police officers from the Huddersfield Town Proactive Team have thanked residents and business owners for providing information about offenders.
In total, officers made 48 arrests in August for offences including theft from shop, outstanding warrants, burglary, possession of offensive weapons, drugs, assault, breach of a domestic violence related restraining order, drunk and disorderly and recall to prison.
Two offenders were arrested for breaches of Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBO). Both Andrew Hackin, 53, of Chesil Bank, Quarmby, Huddersfield and Kevin Wilson, 43, of Gisbourne Road, Bradley, Huddersfield, were jailed for the CBO breaches by magistrates.
During the month officers also made 29 alcohol confiscations from people seen illegally drinking in parts of the town covered by Public Space Protection Orders, and they also dispersed street drinkers who were loitering.
Four Community Protection Notices were also issued to persons known to be in receipt of benefits who were seen drinking and begging.
Other work including proactive road safety operations which resulted in 23 tickets for motoring offences being issued, and the seizure of two scooters seen being ridden dangerously. An e-bike was also seized for being illegal after checks showed the bike was able to go over 80mph.
High profile operations from earlier in the month included a plain clothes operation on Beck Road Retail Park and at Sainsbury's on Southgate to locate shop lifting suspects and repeated patrols with drugs dogs at Huddersfield bus station.
Plain clothes patrols were also carried out at the bus station to try and catch out known offenders seeking to operate there. All of the operations resulted in arrests. The Safer Streets initiative is continuing and is aimed making town centres safer by tackling issues like burglary, shop theft, street crime, and antisocial behaviour.
Launched last month, the initiative has seen police step up visible proactive patrolling across Kirklees with extra patrolling also taking place in Dewsbury and Holmfirth. Supported by the Home Office, this programme brings together key local partners including councils, schools, health services, transport, businesses, and community organisations.
PC James Hemsley of the Huddersfield Town Proactive Team: "Officers from the team have been really busy working across the town centre over the last month. We've been targeting those whose repeated criminality is impacting on the quality of life for residents, businesses and users of the town centre generally.
"We have had some really positive feedback from partners and businesses who have noticed a difference the enforcement action has brought. Crackdowns on street drinking, anti social behaviour, and shop lifting in particular are having a real impact and we are clearly pleased that two well-known high profile offenders are now behind bars.
"We want to reassure residents that this work is continuing and has been an extension of what the team are already doing week in and week out."
Inspector Mark Pattinson added: "We hope the multiple arrests made in August and the high profile operations conducted by the team are really getting the message out to offenders that there is a price to be paid for getting involved in criminality in our town centre.
"Residents and business will not tolerate anti social behaviour, street drinking and theft, and neither will we. The feedback and support we continue to receive to help us hunt down offenders and plan operations has been outstanding.
"We continue to urge residents and businesses to report anti social behaviour and criminality to us, to the Huddersfield Neighbourhood Policing Team and to Crimestoppers.
"The proactive team was specifically formed to hunt down those making day to day life in the town a misery and reports allow us to make sure our officers are deployed where they need to be."
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