Up to 50 vehicles in second Halloween ride-out prank
A POLICE investigation was under way yesterday after as many as 50 youths are believed to have been involved in a Halloween “ride-out” in Leeds.
Riders were seen on quad and dirt bikes travelling around Leeds from 5.30pm on Thursday, and members of the public called West Yorkshire Police to complain about the group mounting pavements, running through red lights, squeezing past them in traffic, damaging cars and riding without number plates and lights.
Officers have established that those taking part gathered in Seacroft, Kirkstall Road and Roundhay Park in the city before setting off.
The incident has echoes of a 2016 Halloween ride-out, which involved more than 100 youths congregated in Kirkstall Road before riding into the city centre. Thirteen people were jailed at a later court hearing. There was also motorbike-related anti-social behaviour in Seacroft on Halloween last year.
Superintentent Jackie Marsh, of the city’s community safety partnership Safer Leeds, added: “The dangerous and anti-social behaviour of those who took part in these incidents was completely unacceptable and put people’s safety at risk and unnecessarily caused fear to members of the public.”
She added that the police force will treat the incident “seriously”.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed that up to 50 vehicles were involved at the peak of the ride-out.
A spokesman said: “Members of the public reported being alarmed by the riders, a number of whom were wearing balaclavas and mounted pavements and ignored traffic signs. Some were riding without lights and had no number plates. There were also reports of cars being damaged by bikes squeezing past them in traffic.”
Closed circuit television security cameras and police drones were used to capture footage which will be analysed as part of the West Yorkshire force’s investigation.