{"id":15414,"date":"2016-11-29T16:47:36","date_gmt":"2016-11-29T16:47:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=15414"},"modified":"2016-11-29T16:47:36","modified_gmt":"2016-11-29T16:47:36","slug":"criminal-bike-groups-worry-ely-residents-despite-police-reassurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2016\/11\/29\/criminal-bike-groups-worry-ely-residents-despite-police-reassurance\/","title":{"rendered":"'Criminal' bike gangs worry Ely residents despite reassurance"},"content":{"rendered":"

RESIDENTS in Ely and Caerau remain worried about criminal bike groups, despite police reports that\u00a0matters\u00a0are improving.<\/span>
\nAt a meeting at Western Leisure Centre residents\u00a0shared their concerns about\u00a0a rise in\u00a0off-road motorbikes threatening pedestrians and road users. <\/span>
\nHowever, South Wales Police and Caerau councillor Peter Bradbury said the number of off-road bikers had dropped dramatically due to\u00a0new police measures.<\/span>
\nOne resident told the November 21 meeting that he had found bikers circling an an elderly man walking his dog in Trelai Park.<\/span>
\nPeter Collins, 70, from Trelai Park, said: \u201cThey were spraying the old man with mud and frightening his dog. He was reduced to tears.\u201d <\/span>
\nMr Collins said\u00a0off-road bikers also ran over his daughter\u2019s dog, causing her pet to lose its leg.<\/span>
\n \u201cPeople are frightened,\u201d he added. <\/span>
\nAnother resident, who does not wish to be named, told <\/span>The Cardiffian <\/span><\/i>she is too scared to let her daughter play on her street because of the bikes.<\/span>
\nThe woman, who lives on Archer Road, said: \u201cThey have no care for anyone else, they run red lights, use the walkways and are just reckless. I have an eight-year-old girl who is not allowed to play in our street because of the fear she will be hit by one of the bikes.\u201d<\/span>
\nShe said\u00a0that one Monday morning a teenager drove their scrambler down the pavement pulling wheelies at high speed.<\/span>
\n\u201cI panicked because all the children were leaving for school,\u201d the mother explained. <\/span>
\nOne 70-year-old resident from Plymouth Wood Crescent who also wishes to remain anonymous added: \u201cThe bikers want to shock people, they enjoy frightening people.\u201d <\/span>
\nDuring the meeting Coun Bradbury stressed the importance of separating the behaviour of illegal motorbike groups from off-road bike enthusiasts in the area.<\/span>
\n\u201cThese are very angry criminals,\u201d he said. \u201cAll the people who have been arrested were also arrested with other criminal offences.\u201d<\/span>
\nEly off-road bike enthusiast Ryan Sullivan said action was needed to stop teenagers joining biker gangs. \u201cOther bikers are copying this American gangster crap, we need to stop children following them,\u201d he said.<\/span>
\nFor\u00a0three years Mr Sullivan has worked with councillors and residents as part of the Bike Track Ely Woods organisation allowing teenagers and children to use off-road bikes safely. <\/span>
\n\u201cI took 10 kids from the community to a bike track one Sunday out of my own pocket. They loved it – I could see the smiles through their helmets and it cost less than \u00a340.\u201d<\/span>
\n

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