Police seize stolen moped and make two arrests on Sheffield estate

The moped was spotted on the streets of Gleadless on Monday afternoon and when an officer tried to stop the rider and a pillion passenger they failed to pull over.

LATEST: Lives put at risk as family home goes up in flames in early morning arson attack in Sheffield

Instead they mounted a pavement and made off through a maze of walkways.

The youths abandoned the moped during the pursuit and were tracked down and arrested.

NATIONAL: Madeleine McCann suspect 'confessed to abduction'

South Yorkshire Police said: “This moped was seen by one of our colleagues in the Gleadless area of Sheffield on Monday afternoon.

“He immediately suspected something might be wrong when he saw that it had no mudguards. He also noticed that the mirrors that had been fitted to it by the manufacturer had been removed. And there was no VRM displayed.

“Almost apoplectic with rage at the flagrant breaches of road traffic regulations, our colleague went to speak to the two lads on it that were nothing but trackies and balaclavas in 20 plus degree heat.

“Keen to avoid the wrath of our colleague, the moped failed to stop and started to ride on a pavement, heading through gaps and down walk ways that a BMW 5 series simply couldn’t fit. Unfortunately for the two lads riding, every time they popped out onto another road, another traffic car was there waiting for them.

“Being persistent types, we played this game with the moped for a few minutes before they decided it was better on two feet rather than two wheels, so they binned the bike and opted for trainer power.

“The two lads didn’t fare much better with their shoddy attempts at garden hopping either, and they were soon answering some fairly intense mud guard related questions.

“It also turned out the moped was stolen a few days before. Not by our balaclava wearing hide-and-seek silver medallists though. Obviously, they found it just abandoned on the floor and thought they would take it for a spin.”

Anyone with information about nuisance bikers in communities should call South Yorkshire Police on 101.