De Bruce

Tackling Off-Road Bikes, E-Scooters, E-Bikes and the Criminal Use of the Road Network

The illegal use of off-road bikes, e-scooters, e-bikes, and the wider criminal use of the road network continues to be a significant concern raised by residents and community partners across the ward. Community feedback highlights the impact these vehicles can have on public safety, quality of life, and feelings of security within local neighbourhoods. Reports of nuisance riding, dangerous driving, excessive speed, riding on footpaths and public open spaces, and vehicles being used to facilitate criminal activity have all been identified as issues that local people want Cleveland Police to continue addressing.
This issue is particularly relevant across both the De Bruce and Headland and Harbour ward areas, where offenders frequently move between the two communities and utilise interconnected routes, open spaces, footpaths, and road networks to evade detection. Residents from both wards have raised concerns about the impact these vehicles have on daily life, recognising that the problem does not remain confined to one area and often affects multiple neighbourhoods simultaneously. As a result, our response will continue to adopt a cross-ward approach, ensuring that enforcement and prevention activity is coordinated and intelligence-led.
These vehicles often pose serious risks to pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and the riders themselves. In addition to causing alarm and distress, they can be linked to wider
criminality, including drug dealing, anti-social behaviour, theft, and the movement of offenders using the road network to avoid detection. Residents have consistently highlighted the need for robust action against those whose reckless behaviour places others at risk and damages community confidence.
Through targeted policing operations, intelligence-led patrols, and strong partnership working, significant progress has already been made in reducing incidents. Working alongside local authority teams and other partners, a number of environmental improvements have been introduced in identified hotspot locations to prevent access for illegal vehicles. Measures such as barriers, pathway alterations, and other crime prevention initiatives have helped reduce opportunities for offending and contributed to a noticeable decrease in reports.
Education remains a key element of our response. Ward officers will continue to work with schools, youth organisations, and community groups to raise awareness of the legal restrictions surrounding e-scooters and e-bikes, as well as the potential consequences of unlawful use, including injury, prosecution, and vehicle seizure. Early intervention remains vital in preventing long-term offending and encouraging responsible behaviour.
Community intelligence continues to play a crucial role in tackling this issue. Information provided by residents helps officers identify offenders, locate vehicles being stored illegally, and target resources effectively. Where vehicles are identified and seized, they can be permanently removed from circulation, helping to reduce repeat offending and prevent further harm.
Our commitment to enforcement remains strong. Cleveland Police will continue to work proactively across both De Bruce and Headland and Harbour wards to seize illegal vehicles, disrupt those using the road network for criminal purposes, and target individuals involved in supplying, modifying, or using vehicles unlawfully. Through a combination of enforcement, education, environmental improvements, and community support, we will continue to reduce harm, improve public safety, and ensure our neighbourhoods remain safe places to live, work, and visit.

Tackling Drug Dealing, Substance Misuse and Exploitation

Drug dealing, substance misuse, and the exploitation of vulnerable people continue to be concerns raised by residents and community partners across the ward. The
community has highlighted the significant impact that drug-related activity can have on neighbourhoods, families, businesses, and individuals, particularly where criminal networks seek to profit from the supply of illegal substances and exploit those who may be vulnerable. Cleveland Police remains committed to proactively tackling these issues through a combination of enforcement, safeguarding, prevention, and partnership working.
Our priority is to reduce the harm caused by drug-related crime by targeting those responsible for the supply of controlled drugs and associated criminality within our communities. Through proactive policing, intelligence-led operations, targeted patrols, and community engagement, officers will continue to identify, disrupt, and prosecute those involved in drug dealing. Recent enforcement activity has demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach, with a number of arrests resulting from proactive policing tactics that have uncovered wider criminal networks operating within and beyond the ward.
Protecting vulnerable people sits at the heart of our response. Individuals involved in drug supply frequently exploit children, young people, and adults who may be vulnerable due to age, mental health concerns, substance dependency, financial hardship, or personal circumstances. This exploitation can take many forms, including coercion, intimidation, criminal exploitation, and involvement in drug distribution networks. Working closely with safeguarding partners, social care, education providers, and specialist support services, we will continue to identify those at risk, provide appropriate interventions, and ensure those who exploit others are brought to justice.
We also recognise the links between drug-related activity and other forms of criminality, including violence, anti-social behaviour, organised crime, and the sale of illicit goods such as illegal cigarettes, tobacco, and vapes. Working alongside Trading Standards, local authority teams, housing providers, and community organisations, we will continue to target those involved in criminal enterprises that cause harm within our communities.
Education and prevention remain essential to our long-term approach. Through engagement with schools, colleges, youth groups, and community organisations, officers will continue to raise awareness of the dangers of substance misuse and the risks of criminal exploitation. By helping young people recognise the warning signs and consequences of involvement in drug-related activity, we aim to build resilience and prevent harm before it occurs.
Through proactive enforcement, safeguarding, education, and strong partnership working, Cleveland Police will continue to tackle drug dealing, substance misuse, and exploitation. Our aim is to reduce harm, protect vulnerable people, disrupt criminal networks, and ensure the ward remains a safe place to live, work, and visit.

Tackling Retail Crime, Violence and Abuse Towards Retail Workers

Retail crime, along with the associated violence, abuse, and threats directed towards retail staff, has been identified by local businesses, residents, and community partners as a significant concern within the ward. Shoplifting, aggressive behaviour, verbal abuse, intimidation, and repeat offending can have a considerable impact on the safety and wellbeing of retail workers, whilst also affecting public confidence and the wider
local economy. The community has highlighted retail crime as an issue that requires continued focus from Cleveland Police and partner agencies.
Particular concerns have been raised in relation to Iceland Stores within the ward, where incidents of shop theft, anti-social behaviour, and the intimidation of staff have had a notable impact on employees, customers, and business operations. Retail workers have the right to carry out their duties without fear of abuse, threats, or violence, and Cleveland Police remains committed to supporting businesses affected by this type of offending.
Neighbourhood policing teams will continue to work closely with retailers, store management, security staff, local authority teams, business groups, and other partner agencies to identify offenders, share intelligence, and develop effective solutions to reduce crime and disorder. Through high-visibility patrols, targeted operations, and intelligence-led policing, we will focus on those individuals responsible for repeat offending and causing the greatest levels of harm within the retail environment.
Where offences occur, we will use all available powers to hold offenders accountable. This includes taking robust action against those involved in shop theft, violence, threats, criminal damage, and persistent anti-social behaviour affecting retail premises. By identifying repeat offenders and disrupting their criminal activity, we aim to reduce the impact of crime on businesses and improve the safety of both staff and customers.
Prevention and engagement remain important elements of our approach. Officers will continue to work with retailers to provide crime prevention advice, encourage effective reporting, and promote information sharing. Strong communication between businesses and police enables emerging issues to be identified quickly and supports coordinated action against offenders.
Community support also plays a vital role. We encourage residents, businesses, and members of the public to report incidents and share information that may assist investigations. The information provided by the community helps us identify offenders, build intelligence, and direct resources where they are most needed.
Through proactive policing, strong partnership working, and continued support from the community, Cleveland Police will work to reduce retail crime, tackle violence and abuse towards retail workers, support businesses such as Iceland Stores, and ensure that local shopping areas remain safe, welcoming, and vibrant places for residents and visitors alike.