Secret weapon for Greater Manchester Police fighting illegal off-road bikes in Wigan's cherished green spaces

Officers are using a ‘unique forensic spray’ to tag off-road motorbikes and quad bikes causing trouble in the borough’s cherished green spaces.

‘Operation Handbrake’, a clampdown mission on the illegal biking activity plaguing Wigan, is returning to the borough for a second time after a ‘successful’ roll-out in January. Earlier this year, police seized 14 bikes and made four arrests over four days.

Two riders were later prosecuted thanks to the use of the ‘forensic spray’, known as a Smart Tag, according to police. Councillor Dane Anderton, portfolio holder for police, crime and civil contingencies for Wigan, said: “This operation has already seen significant results, but this success won’t make us complacent.”

Around 70 per cent of the borough is covered with green space and two canal routes, attracting unauthorised off-road motorbikes and quad bikes which use the public rights of way, bridleways, canal towpaths and loop lines. Police say the riders come from as far as Yorkshire and beyond.

But now Smart Tags are helping police hold criminals accountable. The distinctive forensic code helps link riders to a particular crime scene. The invisible tags can be revealed using a UV light, which turns them bright yellow.

Sergeant Dan Canavan from Wigan’s Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “These vehicles cause significant distress to our communities – from the excessive noise – to the damage to our local parks and green spaces, and most concerning, the serious safety risk they pose to innocent members of the public.

“I want to be absolutely clear; we will be using every tool and tactic at our disposal to identify and prosecute offenders.

“We understand the misery these vehicles cause to residents who simply want to enjoy their neighbourhoods in peace, and I want to assure the people of Wigan that we are taking this matter extremely seriously.”

Sergeant Canavan called on the public to ‘help out’ the police by reporting any incidents to 101.