FEATURE: Putting the brakes on bike-riding teenagers causing trouble in Northampton

Teenagers riding bikes through town in front of cars and buses has become a daily problem.

It's become an everyday sight to see teenagers popping wheelies in front of buses on the Drapery or racing down Abington Street. But the moment they see a police officer's high-vis jacket they scatter like a flock of pigeons. It's part of the fun.

But where does it stop being kids having fun and become a danger to drivers and pedestrians? And how do you police it?

If nothing else, PC Michael Rogers says he is happy to see kids out on bikes on his regular beat in Northampton. He grew up during the 'original BMX craze' and can see the appeal of being out with your friends and feeling like you're part of something.

Over 40 young men on bikes hit the town centre for an afternoon of trouble.

"I'll always be happier to see kids out having fun then stuck inside glued to a screen all day," he says.

"I'm amazed how positive it can be. The difference between gangs and the Bike Life craze [as it's known] is there is no animosity between these kids. They are meeting up from all over Northampton because they share an interest. It's like a community.

"But there's having fun and there's putting people in danger. You should be able to walk down a street without worry of being hit by a pushbike."

The Bike Life craze started on YouTube around three years ago and is now a countrywide phenomenon. It couldn't be simpler - friends on bikes tooling around neighourhoods and towns.

CCTV from the 'Bike Storm' in Northampton town centre in early January.

PC Rogers thinks Bike Life started out as a plain and simple bike enthusiasm. But now he says it's been 'hi-jacked' by mischief and using ride outs to cause a public nuisance.

It's escalated to pockets of crime in Northampton over the past two years. A gang of six young men on bikes reportedly tried to kick a motorcyclist off his vehicle in January. A few months before that, the Drapery was hit by young men on bikes snatching people's fast food off of them and cycling off.

But then in early January, Northampton saw something entirely different. A Bike Storm - a meet-up of 40 young men hit the town centre for an afternoon of trouble.

Their stunts brought the town to a standstill. Between weaving through traffic, riding on pavements and racing through the Grosvenor Centre, they put a lot of pedestrians' safety on the line.

PC Michael Rogers (left) says Northampton does have a bike problem - but there's no need to criminalised teenagers.

Probably most dangerous of all was the meet-up's glee at hitting the emergency engine shutdown on buses before riding off at top speed.

And at that stage, there wasn't much the police could do about it.

PC Rogers said: "As soon as they see us they starburst off and disappear. They like the cat and mouse aspect of it.

"A little bit of mischief is one thing, but then there's putting other people in danger. They show no road sense in any of it."

But the police were able to use the CCTV to identify nearly all of the teenagers. From there, they could pay them a visit with their parents.

But they didn't get away with it. Every one of the riders that afternoon was caught on CCTV. And the police have used that to stop a meet-up like it happening again.

PC Rogers said: "We took the CCTV and worked with schools to identify nearly every single one of them.

"They were all just 12 of 13-year-old boys. We don't want to criminalise them. But they need to be shown why it's dangerous."

The Chronicle & Echo was also asked to publish stills from the CCTV with the teenagers' faces blurred out.

PC Rogers said: "From there, we ended up speaking to each boy's parents with the kid present. Most of the parents were expecting us. They recognised their little darlings on CCTV even with the faces blurred out. Most of them didn't know their boys were up to this sort of thing when they went out.

"All we want to do is tell them it's fine to have fun but not if it puts people in danger. Go meet up somewhere out of the way."

It went well. A sit down with your parents and a police officer will scare most teenagers from being a nuisance again. And the force has acted when they get intel of another possible meet-up in the town centre by stepping up police presence.

But how can Northampton make something positive of the Bike Life craze?

PC Rogers said: "Northampton has no cycling facilities like they do in Corby. The town had a skateboarding problem until we built a skate park. I'd be very interested in seeing a track built for bikes in town.

"Most of the kids in Bike Life are from decent backgrounds. They don't realise what they are doing is potentially dangerous or criminal.

"Yes, Northampton does have a bike problem, but we're not going to ban bikes. My only message is to do it safely and in a place that won't cause a nuisance or a danger."