Police riders tackle off-road bike crime in South Yorkshire

A dedicated off-road team is helping police crack down on rural and wildlife crime in South Yorkshire, using high-performance vehicles, quad bikes and dirt bikes to catch poachers and thieves who are terrorising farmers and damaging crops.

Rural crime is a problem throughout South Yorkshire. Quad bike and machinery theft is a particular issue along the west of the county and up into the Peak District, while crop damage and poaching is more prevalent through the flatter farmland around Doncaster and Rotherham.

A team of six full-time specialist officers from South Yorkshire Police is tasked with disrupting anti-social behaviour caused by illegal off-road bike riding, as well as helping the force with rural and wildlife crime patrols.

The team is supported by 12 cascade riders and has access to a fleet of powerful vehicles, including a Land Rover Defender 90, a BMW X3, dirt bikes and a Yamaha quad bike.

Officers have been trained to use drones and have the support of a fixed-wing police plane, which is based at Doncaster airport.