Nearly 100 illegally-parked scooters impounded by police, Queens DA
QUEENS, New York (WABC) -- Nearly 100 illegally-parked scooters were impounded by the NYPD and the Queens District Attorney's Office.
The vehicles were rounded up as part of a four-day operation to crack down on scooters illegally parked on the sidewalk and street in several sections of Queens, including South Jamaica, South Ozone Park, South Richmond Hill, Corona, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights.
Authorities seized 99 scooters, one unregistered dirt bike and one unregistered motorcycle.
An additional five scooters were confiscated after their operators were stopped while driving, including one operator at the intersection
of 135th Avenue and 140th Street in South Ozone Park. The scooter was found to have been reported stolen and the operator was taking into custody at the scene.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz says the real problem is not where the scooters are parked, but rather that they're being used to carry out crimes.
"Illegal scooters have become a significant concern in our city, as we see them increasingly being used while carrying out violent crimes," she said. "They are also an affront to law-abiding New Yorkers who take the time to register, insure and maintain their vehicles on our roadways."
More than 500 illegally-parked scooters have been seized in Queens since the start of the operation in February.
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