North Brisbane police have continued to target e-bike and unregistered electric motorbike offences along the Kedron Brooke Bikeway and in the inner city throughout the school holidays.
In the inner city, Brisbane City and Fortitude Valley officers have run Operation Fantale to target personal mobility device offences, including e-bikes and e-scooters.
The school holiday proactive patrols have resulted in 15 people being charged with 26 offences, including the detection of a knife, dangerous drugs, and drug utensils.
Along the Kedron Brooke Bikeway, Operation Xray Stamp has been extended to continue to target the illegal and dangerous use of modified e-bikes and unregistered electric motorbikes.
In addition to highly visible and covert patrols, police continue to run education talks at local schools and engage with parents in a wholistic effort to detect, deter and prevent offending.
On 29 August, a 14-year-old Kedron boy is alleged to fled from officers when they attempted to intercept him and drove while unlicenced on an unregistered electric motorcycle through members of the community and their pets.
An off-duty officer arrested the boy, and he was dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act for one count each of driving of motor vehicle without a driver licence, vehicles used on the road must be registered, drive uninsured vehicle, obstruct police officer and drive without reasonable consideration for other persons using place.
On 10 September, a 14-year-old Nundah boy is alleged to have dangerously driven while unlicenced on an unregistered electric motorcycle along the Kedron Brooke Bikeway.
Patrolling officers arrested the boy and dealt with him under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act for one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, driving of motor vehicle without a driver licence, vehicles used on roads must be registered, drive uninsured vehicle, and unlawful driving of motorbike on public land.
North Brisbane District Superintendent Simon Tayler said it shouldn't take someone getting seriously injured or dying for the users of these devices, or parents of children riding them, to start taking safety warnings seriously.
"If you are buying a device for your personal use, or for your child to use, you have an obligation to ensure its use complies with the law."
"Ignorance is not an excuse – especially when the welfare of other public space users and the riders themselves are being put at risk."
"Police will continue to do everything we can to educate users and parents of their responsibilities and consequences of illegal use."
"Where we see these warnings disregarded, officers take a strong stance against offenders with potential enforcement action including fines, seizing bikes and having their day before court."
"These public spaces are for everyone to enjoy. Recklessly endangering the safety of others or yourself by riding unregistered or illegally modified devices is unacceptable."
The north Brisbane community can expect to continue seeing local police conducting proactive patrols targeting offences of this nature.
For more information on riding e-bikes: https://streetsmarts.initiatives.qld.gov.au/electric-bikes/
For more information on riding e-scooters: https://streetsmarts.initiatives.qld.gov.au/initiatives/pmd-rules/
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.
Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.
