NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — As part of an ongoing joint operation to address the continuous use of motorized scooters in crimes, on Friday the NYPD and Queens District Attorney’s Office announced for the third time this week the seizure of a large amount of illegal scooters, bringing the total of confiscated vehicles to 176.
The district attorney’s office noted that mopeds are repeatedly used in crimes, such as drive-by shootings and robberies. The scooters that have been apprehended were confiscated for being illegally parked, and most were unregistered and uninsured, officials said.
“Unregistered scooters are being used to commit violent crimes, including shootings and robberies,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “Through our proactive enforcement efforts in collaboration with the NYPD, we have taken close to 200 of these illegal vehicles off our streets in just one week. We will continue working with the NYPD to eliminate the threat illegal motorbikes represent to our communities.”
The scooter bust involved detectives from the district attorney’s office teaming up with NYPD officers to search 18 locations in Woodside and Long Island City on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
Of the 133 mopeds confiscated in those searches, 103 were unregistered, authorities said.
“The men and women of the NYPD, in close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, continue to make headway in reducing the illegal use of motorized scooters in New York City,” Police Commissioner Edward Caban said. “With nearly 200 scooters seized in Queens so far this month, the positive effect on quality of life is tangible. Together, we are providing the public safety that New Yorkers expect and deserve.”
Additional operations are planned in Queens as part of an enforcement effort to get illegal and unregistered mopeds off the street.