Further illegal and anti-social vehicles removed from the streets of Crewe

Officers working under Operation Lawmaker seized a further ten vehicles and arrested two people during a recent deployment in Crewe, taking the total of nuisance and illegal e-vehicles seized to nearly 400 across Cheshire.

On Friday 21 November, officers working under Operation Lawmaker were deployed to Crewe for a day of operational activity targeting the use of e-bikes, e-scooters and other vehicles being driven in an illegal and anti-social manner.

The Beat Management Team, Problem-Solving Team and Roads and Crime Unit worked collaboratively throughout the day, with their efforts yielding several positive results, including:

• 19 traffic offences being reported
• Ten e-vehicles being seized for not having insurance
• Four fixed penalty notices being issued
• A 37-year-old man seen riding an illegal e-scooter was arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.

As well as this, officers arrested a 56-year-old man from Crewe, who appeared to be using an e-bike whilst drunk.

Claudiu Sanciu, 56, of Bedford Street, Crewe, has since been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

He has since been released on unconditional bail to appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 15 January 2026.

Sergeant John Roberts, of the Crewe LPU Neighbourhood team, said:

“We know how disruptive the use of illegal e-bikes and scooters is to residents in Crewe and across Cheshire. We will continue our high-visibility patrols in hotspot areas at key times across our town, targeting those who intend to cause a nuisance in their community.

“As we approach the Christmas period, I would like to remind parents and guardians in particular, to reconsider any purchases of e-bikes and e-scooters for their young people.

“Whilst it might seem like a great present, e-bikes are illegal to use by anyone under the age of 14 for their own safety. These bikes can reach considerable speeds in a matter of seconds with any modifications. E-scooters can only legally be used on private land with the owner’s permission and when insured for use in public spaces such as roads and pavements.

“Keeping everyone safe when using our roads remains our top priority as we move into the winter months. Be under no illusion, if we see these being ridden where they shouldn’t be, we will take appropriate action.”

These results come as Cheshire Constabulary can reveal that Operation Lawmaker have seized over 380 e-vehicles in just ten months, nearly double the number of total vehicles seized in all of 2024.

Lawmaker was rolled out county-wide back in 2024 in direct response to community concerns of illegally and dangerously driven e-bikes and off-road vehicles in our town centres, pedestrianised areas and on our roads.

Since then, deployments of Operation Lawmaker have been a regular occurrence across the Constabulary’s seven main Local Policing Units (LPUs), a number of arrests made, many vehicles being seized and crushed.

In its first year, through the proactive multi-department, multi-agency approach to tackling nuisance and dangerous riders in our communities, a total of 205 e-vehicles (electrically assisted pedal bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters) were removed from our streets.

Lawmaker officers also recently played a substantial role in the Safer Summer Streets initiative that supported the Government's wider Neighbourhood Policing Plan.

Now, however, this continued intensified effort has resulted in a further 383 vehicles being seized in the ten months to October 2025 – over 175 more than the entirety of those seized from January to December 2024.

Chief Inspector Cameron Taylor, of the Constabulary’s Roads and Crime Unit, said:

“This fantastic achievement goes a considerable way to further protecting everyone who uses our roads and visits our town centres - it is the direct result of the hard work and determination our officers and staff have delivered under Operation Lawmaker.

“It is because of them, alongside the assistance of our community and partner organisations, that our results have nearly doubled to well over 380 seizures in just ten months compared to the entirety of 2024.

“These results also mean that, by the end of 2025, we will have seized over one bike a day under Op Lawmaker. With well over month to go until the end of the year, we shan’t be resting on our laurels and will still be out ensuring that every rider, driver and pedestrian is respecting the rules of our roads and taking swift action against those who choose to do otherwise.”