Monkey bike impounded

A monkey bike is towed away after Westgate Highway Patrol intercept a 16-year-old Hoppers Crossing teen. Picture: contributed

A 16-year-old Hoppers Crossing teen has had his new monkey bike impounded after he was caught riding unlicensed recently.

Westgate Highway Patrol allegedly nabbed the teen riding along Red Brick Bridge over Skeleton Creek about 10.30am on July 7. He was charged with unlicensed driving, riding an unregistered motorcycle and riding a monkey bike on a road-related area.

He will face the Werribee Children’s Court at a later date.

Police also impounded the teen’s monkey bike – which he had only bought the day before – for 30 days.

The intercept occurred during highway patrol’s second shift with its new off-road motorbikes.

Wyndham council recently splashed out $30,000 on two new trail bikes for Wyndham Police to enable more patrols of public reserves following increasing complaints from local residents about hooning.

Residents in Hawthorn Drive have said the sound of hoons on dirt bikes on the reserve backing on to their Hoppers Crossing street was like “living on a race track”.

Sergeant Aaron Prentice-Evans, from Westgate Highway Patrol, said Gordon O’Keefe Reserve in Wyndham Vale and Laverton North’s Lawrie Emmins Reserve were other hot spots for dirt bike and monkey bike riders.