Two men have been arrested and a scrambler motorbike seized after a police operation in west Belfast.
Police say they observed the rider of the bike not wearing a helmet in the Shankill Road area at around 11.40pm on Monday, before he made off.
The machine was later spotted in the same area with two people on board and beeping its horn.
After entering Hopewell Crescent, it hit a curb and both men fell off.
One man made off from the scene, while the other tried to restart the bike but was prevented by police.
Police added that the man who escaped was later located and both will be reported to the Public Prosecution Service.
Earlier this month, two teenage boys were said to be “lucky to be alive” after the scrambler they were on was in collision with a car in the Cliftonville Road area of north Belfast.
In a statement on Tuesday, PSNI chief inspector Alan Lowry said: “We know this is an issue of concern in the community, and we want to reassure you it’s one we take seriously.
“The road conditions were icy on Monday night and when these machines are being driven at speed, creating a nuisance in built-up areas, close to people and homes, this is dangerous and reckless.
“This was good work by officers who apprehended one of the men on foot and then were able to track down the other man without a pursuit.
“Not only is there the impact on people’s lives in the community, but there are also serious safety concerns.”
Inspector Lowry said police will “continue to work proactively to apprehend those involved in this anti-social and criminal behaviour”.
He added that “some scramblers do not comply with construction and use regulations and vehicle safety standards and therefore are restricted to ‘off-road’ use only”.
“This does not mean that they can be driven anywhere off-road,” he said.
“These vehicles should only be driven on private land where the landowner has given permission and should not be driven on pavements, roads, public property or parks. Insurance and safety equipment must be complied with as well in order to drive these vehicles legally.
“To anyone thinking about buying these vehicles, we urge them to first think about where it is going to be used and the legalities surrounding its use.”
