Cops Haul 240 Illegal Dirt Bikes Off City's Streets In One Day: NYPD

NEW YORK CITY — New York City's streets got a little quieter and safer after NYPD officers seized 240 illegal dirt bikes and ATVs in a single day, police officials said.

The haul of illegal bikes seized Sunday is part of a recent NYPD push to take those vehicles off the streets.

Standing in front of a haul of illegal bikes, the department's Chief of Patrol Jeffrey Maddrey said Monday that officers confiscated roughly 400 in the past two weekends.

"This year, we've seized close to 3,000 bikes," he said.

Many locals, as well as city and police officials, have long railed against illegal dirt bikes and ATVs.

They've not only complained about the vehicles' deafening noise as people ride them through neighborhoods, but also have tied them to dangerous speeding and hit-and-runs.

"They're not obeying the traffic rules, they're riding on sidewalks, they're doing wheelies and things they're not supposed to in the streets," Maddrey said. "

Maddrey said the vast majority of bikes seized will be crushed.

But he also noted that owners have a process to retrieve their bikes, so long as they're properly registered and insured.