Our park is being terrorised by rich kid bikers… drastic action has been taken to stop them
POLICE have launched a fight back against well off scrambler yobs in a cherished park.
The green space, popular with walkers and families, has been taken over by masked scrambler thugs .
Jubilee Park in the posh midlands area of Olton is perhaps the last place you might expect to find menacing riders.
But locals spoke of scramblers speeding across the park and pulling donuts in the turf.
Police will now use brand new motorbikes to pursue the yobs and other criminals in the area.
Officers on the ground will be backed up by drones in the air. Some locals seemed unaware of the issue despite the police blitz.
Some said noisy bikes were a “massive” problem while one neighbour joked: “They must be coming over in the dead of night because we haven’t seen them.”
Beverley Doyle, 57, who was strolling around the green with three pooches, said pit bikes were an issue all over the region.
The dog walker explained she usually visited Sheldon Country Park and believed bosses had big concerns there.
“The entrance is blocked off with a chain to stop bikes going through it,” she said of the neighbouring park.
“Disabled people can’t use the entrance and they’ve got to go all the way around.”
Beverley said while she hadn’t seen any bikes at Jubilee Park, she had encountered them elsewhere.
She said: “I passed two bikers and they were hooded up and had big black balaclavas on. They were going at excessive speed.”
One Olton local – who asked not to be named – said he last saw bikers at Jubilee Park just days ago.
He said his family could occasionally hear riders “doing burnouts”.
The man said: “Three or four days ago one came through with a kid on the back. Neither had helmets. I don’t think this is one of the worst parks. It’s the kids of rich parents. They’re probably not supposed to be out on them.
“We moved up from Milton Keynes and used to see them literally every weekend. Young men on big scramblers would come around here.
“We haven’t seen anything like that [recently]. You don’t see them around anymore.
“It’s a very busy park so the guys on the bikes are not completely stupid. Most of them are not going to be so keen if there are so many people and dogs.”
Paul Whiston, 70, a recent retiree, was enjoying a morning walk. He said his house backed on to the park and while he hadn’t seen the bikes he had heard them in the past.
“It’s obvious where they’ve been
“You can see the tracks. They’re not making too much of a mess. The main worry is if they suddenly appear around the corner. It’s a very popular park with a lot of elderly people.”
Paul described the area as a nice place to live. He added: “You hear about people having cars broken into or stolen but I suppose that’s life these days. It’s a very pleasant place and a lovely park.”
Locals spoke as officers launched a campaign aimed at crushing dangerous off-road bikers.
Earlier today, we reported cops had issued a clear message to nuisance riders and said: “We are coming to get you.”
New motorbikes will be ridden by trained cops to chase yobs and other criminals – even if they resort to treacherous terrain to escape capture.
The bikes – snapped up by Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster using cash seized from criminals – will be assisted by a drone team.
It follows a raft of complaints from members of the public across the West Midlands about reckless youths riding dangerously.
Sergeant Bill Gutheridge from the Solihull local police team said Jubilee Park had been identified as a problem area.
“We know how much anti-social off-road bikers negatively affect our communities and we are very happy that we now have these bikes to tackle the issue directly,” he said.
“This summer you will see regular operations involving these bikes and the drones team to identify and arrest offenders. There will be no let-up in our efforts to combat anti-social biking.”
Mr Foster added: “What better way is there to spend money we have seized from criminals?
“These bikes will help West Midlands Police catch people who think it is okay to scare others, cause anti-social behaviour and tear up public spaces with their bikes.
” It is completely unacceptable and now [officers] have the tools to put a stop to it.”