Baltimore Police Making Plans To Combat Illegal Dirt Bikes

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore police are in the planning stages of combating illegal dirt bike and ATV riders out on busy city streets, WJZ's George Solis reports.

Illegal and dangerous, the roaring force of a swarm of dirt bike and ATV riders will soon be heard on Baltimore City streets. And like before, police will be vigilant in trying to prevent tragedy.

"We saw someone get hit last week and seriously injured on Pratt Street. We're still searching for the person who struck and killed Allison Blanding a year ago," said T.J. Smith, Baltimore Police Department.

Blanding was hit by a rider performing a stunt. Twenty-one-year-old Ka're Smith died when his bike collided with a car.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake tells WJZ she is urging the city to safely rally against the riders.

"We won't chase them because it is a danger to the riders and to the larger community," the mayor said. "So we need those community members that see them to see where the storage facilities are, see where the garages are, we need them to come forward."

Baltimore isn't alone in the fight. New York and D.C. are also taking action.

"Hopefully we'll make some more progress to keep our neighborhood safe," one man said.

D.C. police have made more than two dozen arrests and have confiscated more than 30 bikes in the last two months. They are also looking for nearly 250 offenders.

In the past, riders have told WJZ they feel unfairly targeted. As far as giving riders a new place to ride, it's a solution the mayor says doesn't come without a few bumps in the road.

"Even if there were another venue, it would not stop them from riding in the streets," Mayor Rawlings-Blake said.

Police tell WJZ part of popular culture or not, they will be cracking down in a big way.

"We are looking into some ways to address this that we hope to announce very soon," Smith said.

Police tell WJZ they will announce plans to crack down on the illegal activity in the coming weeks.