Los Angeles police apprehended dozens of minibike riders and impounded numerous vehicles on Sunday during an operation on the 6th Street Bridge, preventing a planned takeover of the iconic structure.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) intercepted a group exceeding 70 individuals, many of whom were minors, operating unauthorized motorized minibikes. The riders were reportedly blocking the bridge, engaging in dangerous maneuvers such as doughnuts and wheelies, and disregarding traffic laws by riding on the wrong side of the road and weaving through traffic.
According to Sergeant Robert Leary of the LAPD Street Racing Task Force, 78 minibikes and pocket bikes were impounded. "We received intelligence that there was going to be a takeover on the 6th Street Bridge with e-bikes and minibikes," Leary stated. "We assembled a team to block them in. It's the only effective way to address this problem." Police reported that the riders were taken into custody without incident after being surrounded on the bridge.
All individuals arrested were cited for operating illegal vehicles on city streets. As a significant portion of the group consisted of juveniles, their parents were notified and arrived at the scene to take custody of their children. In addition to the 78 misdemeanor arrests, Sergeant Leary confirmed that two vehicles, driven by individuals identified as "aiding and abetting" the illegal activity, were also impounded.
LAPD Deputy Chief German Hurtado informed KTLA that law enforcement had been monitoring the group due to their history of similar illicit activities. "We were tracking this group until we could position ourselves to safely stop them all, take them into custody, and impound the minibikes," Hurtado explained. Personnel from the California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also participated in the coordinated effort. Minibikes are not compliant with Department of Motor Vehicles safety regulations and are prohibited on streets and sidewalks in California, with legal operation restricted to private property.
