Two men arrested and scrambler bike seized in St Helens

A scrambler bike rider who tried to evade police by speeding through residential streets and fields in St Helens was arrested after he ran out of petrol.

At around 2pm yesterday (Wednesday 13 August) we received a report that a man was riding a green Kawasaki scrambler bike in a dangerous and reckless manner near Carr Mill Dam.

It was alleged that the man was speeding, mounted the pavement and at one point nearly hit a pedestrian.

It was further reported that a second male had also got onto the bike and together they continued to ignore police and travelled on the A580 and a field near to Garswood Road.

One of the males got off the bike and was arrested shortly afterwards by officers.

With the assistance of the National Police Air Service (NPAS), we were able to monitor the rider as he continued to ride through nearby fields until his bike ran out of petrol and he was detained.

The bike, which was suspected as being stolen, was also seized.

A 33-year-old man from Rainford was arrested on suspicion of:
- Dangerous driving
- Driving a motor vehicle which had been taken without the owner’s consent
- Driving whilst disqualified
- Failing to stop
- Using a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance
- Conspiring to intentionally/recklessly cause a public nuisance

A 32-year-old man from St Helens was arrested on suspicion of:
- Theft of a motor vehicle
- Assisting an offender

Detective Inspector Jimmy Rotheram said: “This scrambler bike was ridden in an extremely dangerous manner and the rider only stopped when it ran out of petrol.

“At one point, it was reported that the rider narrowly missed a pedestrian. This illustrates how reckless these riders can be when they use illegal e-bikes, e-scooters and scrambler bikes in our communities.

“Thankfully we were able to arrest two men in connection with this incident and the bike has been seized. This is a fantastic result and I hope it reassures the community that we take this issue extremely seriously.”

Operation Gears was launched last month and is a force-wide initiative targeting the unlawful use of two-wheeled vehicles that pose a danger to communities and are frequently used to facilitate crime. The operation has seen proactive patrols, intelligence-led interventions, and community engagement across Merseyside.

In July 2025 alone, officers seized 137 illegal two-wheeled vehicles, bringing the total number of seizures this year to 626. These vehicles are increasingly linked to serious criminal activity, including violence, robberies, and serious organised crime (SOC) offences.

DI Rotheram added: “Operation Gears is a response to increasing use of these vehicles by criminals, who often steal high-value bikes to support their illegal trade. Our teams will continue to proactively act on information which identifies the suspected criminal use of such bikes, and we have a wealth of tactics to track and locate them, like in this case.

“Owners and users should make themselves aware of the laws around use of these bikes, as well as ways to keep you and your bike safe.”

If you see any illegal use of e-bikes, e-scooters, or electric motorcycles, please report it to us as soon as possible. Contact us via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’. You can also report information via our website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or call 101.

You can also report to Crimestoppers via a dedicated page here: New appeal to help stop the criminal use of e-bikes, scooters and motorbikes across Merseyside | Crimestoppers

You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.