Records show city of Boston has struggled with ATV, dirt bike riders for years
The attack on an elderly driver out buying the family's Thanksgiving turkey was just the latest example of how the city has struggled to deal with dirt bike and ATV riders.
5 Investigates found dozens of complaints to the city through 311 service requests about dirt bikes and ATVs, some dating back more than seven years.
"If the city has time to cite me for putting my trash out three hours too early on a Sunday it better be prepared to ticket or arrest these ATV and motor bike gangs," one resident wrote in a complaint dated "over 7 years ago" on a city website.
More recent complaints include that riders are "reckless" and "dangerous" and they "hit my dog."
"(P)lease step up patrols, enforcement," one wrote.
And another, dated Oct. 17 with a picture of a rider doing a wheelie on Seaport Boulevard: "These guys are going to get someone killed."
Boston police said the department's auto theft unit has impounded 108 ATVs and dirt bikes since May.
Records show arrests and confiscations of off-road vehicles dating back to at least 2015. Earlier this year, Boston police warned the public about an increase in activity of off-road vehicles like dirt bikes and ATVs, saying many are not properly registered and often they've been reported stolen.
Boston police said people with information about the illegal operation or storage of these recreational vehicles can report information anonymously by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1 (800) 494-TIPS or by texting the word 'TIP' to CRIME (27463).