Quad bikes with a combined value of £20,000 have been seized along with a motorcycle after a rider unwittingly "pulled a wheelie" in front of plain-clothed officers.

The seizures are part of Northumbria Police's Operation Capio - a crackdown on motorcycle criminality, with members of the public urged to report nuisance riders and share information.

Officers said the latest days of activity in Gateshead on Friday and Sunday proved productive, with stinger-trained staff on the ground joined by a drone team providing an eye from the sky.The Northern Echo: Quad bikes with a combined value of £20,000 have been seized along with a motorcycle

A motorcyclist who pulled a wheelie had his bike seized as officers quickly caught up with them at a nearby garage.

Two quad bikes were also seized after they were found to be uninsured, with both riders summonsed to court.

A further vehicle was also seized for being driven without insurance, with the driver also the subject of a court summons.

Inspector Craig Brown, of Northumbria Police, said: “This was a great set of results and I would like to thank our team and the efforts of our partners so far.The Northern Echo: Quad bikes with a combined value of £20,000 have been seized along with a motorcycle

“It is brilliant to see the positive impact which Operation Capio has already had in our area in such a short space of time, as we know this type of criminality can cause misery for our communities.

“While we are pleased to see encouraging results such as these, we know our work is far from over.

“Anti-social riders should expect to be arrested and have their vehicles seized and potentially crushed.”

Insp Brown added: “Please help us to help you by continuing to be our eyes and ears out in the community, and by telling us your concerns.The Northern Echo: Quad bikes with a combined value of £20,000 have been seized along with a motorcycle

“If you see something suspicious, please report it to police at the earliest opportunity and share as much detail as possible to help us identify those involved.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “Our officers are on a mission to cut down motorbike related anti-social behaviour. We know it’s a concern for many local people and we are pulling out all the stops to take tough action.

"This is why I have invested in a force-wide unit specifically to tackle motorbike disorder, as well as new technologies such as drones to assist police with operations to catch those responsible.

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“I’m also funding a campaign with Crimestoppers so people can come forward with any information and report it anonymously. All this work along with Operation Capio and targeted days of action is paying off as these positive results show.

“Motorbike disorder is not only a nuisance but dangerous too and so we must keep doing all we can to stop it.”

Officers and partners have urged people to further assist their enquiries by continuing to share details if known, such as Vehicle registration plate number for the offending vehicle Time of day and date of incident Where the motorcycle was located, and where it was travelling Where offending vehicles are being stored Description of riders including how many, clothing worn and helmet or headgear Description of the motorcycle(s) involved – including colour, make, model if known – and any other distinctive features Members of the public can report concerns to Northumbria Police using the ‘Report’ pages of the website, or by calling 101. In an emergency, or where a crime is taking place, always dial 999. You can also visit the council’s websites to report anti-social behaviour.