New Bedford Police: 12 Arrested in Major Illegal Scooter Crackdown

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — The New Bedford Police Department continued its crackdown on illegal scooters and mopeds throughout the city with an operation on Thursday that resulted in 12 arrests.

The NBPD’s Organized Crime Intelligence Bureau and newly-formed Crime Reduction Team partnered with Massachusetts State Police on the November 20 operation, which also saw 13 vehicles towed and 64 citations handed out.

Chief Thody: "We Will Continue to Aggressively Focus" on the Issue

“Our priorities are the safety of our residents and the overall quality of life in our neighborhoods. We will continue to aggressively focus on issues like this one that directly impact our community,” Police Chief Jason Thody said. “I want to thank our dedicated officers as well as Colonel Geoffrey Noble and the Massachusetts State Police for their support during this highly successful operation. Their personnel and resources strengthened our efforts, and they continue to be a strong partner.”

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Breakdown of the Enforcement Activity

During the eight-hour coordinated operation, New Bedford Police detectives made three arrests, issued one summons, towed three scooters and mopeds, and issued nine citations. State police reported nine arrests, 10 summonses, 55 citations and 10 vehicle tows.

“The Massachusetts State Police remain committed to working closely with our local partners to address illegal vehicles that impact quality of life for residents,” Col. Noble said. "We appreciate the New Bedford Police Department's collaborative approach to public safety as well as the troopers and officers who performed this important work."

Police also thanked court clerk John DiSanto, who was present at police headquarters during the operation to assist with processing cases and setting bail.

Previous Enforcement Actions This Month

The NBPD has been conducting other operations targeting mopeds and scooters operating unlawfully, including:

• On Nov. 7, detectives led a targeted operation resulting in 10 stops, five arrests, 12 citations, and 10 scooters and mopeds towed.
• On Nov. 10, officers issued two criminal citations to two juveniles for scooter-related offenses, towed two scooters, and later located a garage on Crapo Street containing numerous scooter parts and a stripped-down scooter frame.
• On Nov. 11, officers conducted four additional stops, issued one citation, towed one scooter, and arrested two individuals on outstanding warrants.
• On Nov. 12, officers stopped two scooters, issued two citations, towed two scooters, and arrested two individuals.
• On Nov. 13, officers stopped three scooters and mopeds, made two arrests, issued four citations, and towed three vehicles.

Police Share Video Showing Dangers of Illegal Scooter and Moped Operation

Police also posted this video on social media, calling it “a recent example of the dangerous situations created by illegal and unsafe scooter and moped operations. In this case, the moped operator was at fault, demonstrating the risks posed to both riders and motorists when traffic laws are disregarded.”