Appeal to help trace riders following disturbance and damage to cars

We are appealing for information following several incidents of vehicle-related anti-social behaviour and criminal damage in Stoke-on-Trent at the weekend.

On the evenings of Saturday (23 November) and Sunday (24 November), we received multiple reports of riders using the wheels of off-road bikes to spray mud onto parked cars on Dividy Road and Tenbury Green in Bentilee.

We also received reports of a group riding off-road bikes in an anti-social manner in the area, the windows and windscreen of a car being smashed, and bricks being thrown onto Dividy Road.

The wheels of bikes were also used to spray mud at the owner of a vehicle when she challenged them.

The suspects had left when officers arrived on the scene.

Sergeant Richard Lloyd, from Stoke South local policing team (LPT), said: “We are appealing to the public for information in relation to these incidents and urging them to report anti-social use of bikes in their community. Often the bikes used are involved in several offences and linked to more serious crime.

“Through Operation Transom, we have increased our partnership efforts to tackle off-road bike anti-social behaviour, working with colleagues from the National Police Air Service (NPAS), our road crime team officers and local policing team (LPT) staff.”

Anyone with any information is asked to get in touch with us by calling 101, quoting incident 477 of 24 November, or by messaging using Live Chat on our website.

For guaranteed anonymity, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.