Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Police have seized an e-scooter in Leeds after its rider gave officers the middle finger and hurled a “serenade” of abuse.

The Leeds District Off Road Bike Team, working with neighbourhood officers, patrolled areas of south Leeds last week as part of Operation Ashfield. The operation is targeting crime related to motorbikes, quad bikes, electric motorbikes and similar vehicles.

Police in Middleton spotted an e-scooter rider engaging in anti-social behaviour during the patrols, and the scooter was seized.

In a statement issued on Facebook, the Leeds South neighbourhood policing team said: “This ‘daring’ individual thought riding in and out of traffic while giving our officers a one-finger salute and belting out a serenade of creative vocabulary was the perfect way to say hello.

Police seized the e-scooter in Middleton (Photo by West Yorkshire Police)

"We appreciate the attention, but we'd prefer a friendly wave next time!”

Officers also seized a quad bike in Middleton, which was found to have been stolen in 2020. An electric motorbike without insurance or a license was seized in Morley.

The statement added: “We're not just about seizing vehicles though. Our address-checking officers were hard at work, following up on intelligence about stolen motorbikes.

“Last but not least, a certain someone earned themselves a fixed penalty notice for not playing by the local traffic rulebook.”

Under Operation Ashfield, targeted patrols are being carried out in areas identified as hotspots for anti-social behaviour and motorbike-related crime. It’s part of a multi-agency approach with Leeds City Council and other partners to crack down on motorbike, quad bike and e-scooter crime.

Leeds police seize e-scooter in Middleton after rider gives officers the middle finger and 'serenade' of abuse