Masked bikers barricaded a busy Cardiff road and antagonised motorists late on Wednesday evening, prompting a police investigation. Officers were called to Bridge Road, near Llandaff, shortly before midnight after reports of the disruption.
Incident on Bridge Road
Witnesses reported seeing a group wearing balaclavas attempting to form a makeshift barricade across the road. South Wales Police said its officers were called to reports that a "small number of individuals on bikes were causing a disruption and antagonising motorists travelling along the route" shortly before midnight.
The group made off before police arrived at the tree-lined main road that links Llandaff with Llandaff North. Investigations are now ongoing to identify those involved.
Police Operation to Tackle Illegal Bike Use
The incident comes after South Wales Police launched Op Grebe to combat the issue of bikes – including electric bikes, motorcycles, and off-road bikes – being ridden illegally across south Wales. It has become a particular problem in the Welsh capital, with residents in one Cardiff suburb telling WalesOnline they are scared to go out after dark due to balaclava-clad e-bike riders.
The Llandaff area is one of five in Cardiff that has seen the most complaints, alongside Caerau, Whitchurch, Tremorfa and Ely. Following community concerns, the force says it has stepped up its efforts to tackle the issue of bikes being ridden illegally. Officers say they know this can also be linked to further, more serious criminal activity, such as robbery, exploitation, and drug offences, and are committed to tackling these issues.
Specialist Assets and Public Appeal
Superintendent Emma Fox from South Wales Police previously said: "We're deploying specialist assets including drone teams, our new Sur-Ron team, and plain clothes officers to identify and catch these offenders and bring them to justice. My message to those who ride bikes illegally is this: We're coming for you."
The force recently unveiled its own fleet of high-powered Sur-Ron electric bikes to respond to incidents in areas where traditional vehicles can't be used. Explaining more about the new campaign on BBC's Crimewatch Live, ACC Williams said: "I want the public to know we are taking the illegal use of bikes, and linked anti-social behaviour or organised criminal activity, very seriously. This campaign is three stages, informing the public on what illegal bike use looks like, making it easy for them to report it to us, then us taking action from the intelligence submitted. If you have doorbell, dashcam, or any other footage or information, tell us."
ACC Williams added: "As always, the success of this work will rely on the support of the communities we serve, this is not something we can do alone. My plea to anyone who has information about those who use these illegal bikes including where they ride them and where they store them is to tell us via our online portal. We're continuing to invest in the technology and capabilities needed to identify and pursue those responsible. This includes expanding our drone team and exploring additional equipment to strengthen the evidence we can gather and increase opportunities to bring offenders to justice. My message to those who ride bikes illegally is simple: We're coming for you."
