NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Stunning photos taken Monday show hundreds of scooters and other motorbikes that were seized amid an ongoing crackdown on the vehicles in New York City.
The vehicles appear to be stored at the NYPD's Erie Basin Auto Pound off Red Hook, Brooklyn. The sheer number of motorbikes impounded reflects the surge in popularity they've seen in recent years and the scale of the issue.
The photos were taken the same day that the Queens District Attorney's Office announced the seizure of 43 illegally parked scooters in Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Corona and Long Island City as part of a joint operation with the NYPD. Most of them were found along Roosevelt Avenue.
Officials have said the vehicles are playing an outsized role in crimes like drive-by shootings and robberies, as well as in traffic incidents.
"The often careless and dangerous operation of motorized scooters on our roads, and even our sidewalks, has become an urgent concern," Queens D.A. Melinda Katz said in a statement. "Their use to commit violent crimes and escape will not be tolerated and requires immediate action. We are partnering with the NYPD to do proactive enforcement to make our streets and communities safer for law-abiding New Yorkers."
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said efforts are underway citywide to curb the illegal use of the motorbikes.
"New Yorkers see it every day: People putting others at risk by recklessly operating unregistered scooters, speeding through red lights, and riding on sidewalks," Caban said. "In addition to blatant traffic violations, some riders commit shootings, robberies, and other violent acts."