A VICTORIA Police operation is targeting monkey bike riders.
Operation “Rolling Boulder” began at the start of the month, with police pouring more time and resources into catching riders of illegally modified bikes.
Carrum Downs senior sergeant Alan Courtney said that the operation was important as monkey bike riding can be deadly.
“Riding illegal dirt or monkey bikes on our streets and through our parks is never harmless fun. Our community is rightly sick of it and police have zero tolerance for any activity that threatens the safety of our community,” Courtney said. “We know all too well the devastating consequences of illegal dirt bike riding, from significantly damaged parklands to the catastrophic loss of life that can occur.”
In 2015, a mother was killed outside Carrum Downs Shopping Centre after being struck by a monkey bike.
On 2 September, police investigated a community report about a man allegedly riding an illegal in Frankston. Frankston Highway Patrol members later interviewed a 23-year-old Frankston man, and say that he will be charged with unlicensed driving, owning unregistered vehicles, and failure to wear a helmet.
Courtney said that Operation Rolling Boulder had “already sent a strong message to anyone owning or riding illegal dirt or monkey bikes, with police arresting a 23-year-old Frankston man on the first day of the operation.”
The police operation will see local officers work alongside the highway patrol, divisional intelligence unit, drone unit, and tasking unit to catch riders of illegal bikes. Victoria Police also hopes to work with Frankston Council and Parks Victoria to gather intelligence, identify offenders, and impound and destroy bikes.
Anyone who has information on illegal monkey bike riders can contact Crime Stoppers confidentially at crimestoppersvic.com.au or call on 1800 333 000.
First published in the Mornington News – 27 September 2022
