A massive scary-looking machete and a baseball bat were among several items seized by police on Halloween during patrols.
The patrols by West Yorkshire Police in Leeds were aimed at motorbike-related crime and anti-social behaviour but ended up reaping weapons and stolen bikes. The patrols teams consisted of officers from Leeds district, the Off-Road Bike Team, the Roads Policing Unit and the National Police Air Service.
Police say they targeted 'hotspots' around the city. And it appears to have worked, as they recovered three stolen motorcycles, including one that had been stolen barely an hour before.
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Three people, all male, were arrested for various offences, ranging from theft of motorcycles, possession of offensive weapons, possession of drugs with intent to supply and dangerous driving. West Yorkshire police say they took a proactive approach as crime usually gets out of control during Halloween.
Temporary Chief Superintendent Sareth Humpage, who led the operation, said: “Halloween is a time when we can, unfortunately, see an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour, particularly incidents involving stolen motorbikes and electric bikes.
"This operation saw us targeting extra resources in key areas to deter and disrupt any such activity and provide increased visible reassurance to the public.
“The arrests and seizures that resulted from the operation show the value of this type of increased proactivity, which builds on the ongoing work that district neighbourhood policing team officers, alongside partner agencies, are continuing to carry out to address these issues.
"We hope it will help to demonstrate to our communities that we are committed to doing everything we can to keep targeting those responsible and to reduce the number of incidents.”
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