Geraldton police using drones in crackdown on trail bike hoons

Geraldton police have launched a crackdown on residents using off-road motorcycles dangerously in the city’s outer suburbs, operating drones to identify offenders.

Sen. Sgt Chris Martin said residents were sick of the noise and the dangerous driving.

“It’s an issue we’ve been receiving a number of complaints about in the areas around Spalding, Wandina and Sunset Beach,” he said.

“We are consistently seeing people driving off-road bikes in a dangerous manner.

“We’ve had enough and it’s got to stop.”

He said over the coming weeks police would have a larger presence in “hot spots” and would be using new unmanned drones to track offenders.

“If people keep behaving in this manner we’re going to take these bikes off the road and destroy them,” Sen. Sgt Martin said.

He said on Monday a 34-year-old Mt Tarcoola man was arrested and charged with 19 driving offences including four reckless driving charges, failing to stop, no authority to drive, and using an unlicensed motorcycle on the road.