WATCH: Illegal Dirt Biker Gets Hit By Albany Police Car
You've probably heard about the problem the City of Albany is having with people on illegal dirt bikes and ATV's. The riders have been wreaking havoc on city streets as well as harassing residents and officials. It's an issue that comes up every spring as the weather improves, but each year residents and police say the problem gets worse.
One biker wearing a camera posted video of himself and at least two other bikers as police are following. The biker with the camera was riding illegally on the sidewalk, when he or she passes the cop. The police car, which was right behind another biker on the road, hits the back wheel of the dirt bike and the rider falls off.
It's a quick video and difficult to tell whether the biker stops short and/or the officer sped up when the impact happened. Although not on the video, police say the biker who was hit jumped on the back of another dirt bike and took off.
Albany Police did offer a statement on the incident:
We are aware of a video taken by an individual who recklessly and illegally operated a dirt bike on a sidewalk during rush hour late Friday afternoon in West Hill, a residential neighborhood in the City of Albany. As with any motor vehicle accident involving an Albany police vehicle, it is currently under investigation. There were no injuries reported during the incident and the individual involved immediately got onto the back of another illegally operated dirt bike and fled the scene.”
Just this week the city launched a tip line for residents to alert police when any illegal dirt bike or ATV riding is taking place. This comes after a group of bikers harassed firefighters working at the Arbor Hill Fire Station who were moving fire trucks and attempting to direct traffic. The tip line number is (518) 462-1818.
In addition to the increase in illegal dirt bikes on the streets, there has also been a massive increase in bike thefts across the area. One owner caught thieves on video stealing three dirt bikes from a shed on his property last week.