MOPED-RIDING yobs face losing their prized machines, after a "get tough" pledge by police.

Officers have warned that young riders are putting their lives in danger by racing around the streets of York, often without helmets or with illegal pillion passengers.

They have served warning notices on four teenagers, who now face having their mopeds confiscated if they are caught riding antisocially again.

Residents in the Beckfield Lane and Carr Lane areas of Acomb have made a string of complaints to police about gangs of youths racing mopeds and scooters. Sergeant Mike Stubbs said: "We will have absolutely no hesitation in seizing machines if they continue to be ridden inappropriately."

Officers have the power to seize vehicles that are being used antisocially, once the driver or rider has been warned about their behaviour.

Last week, the Evening Press reported how reckless bikers have been churning up the Clifton Backies nature reserve with off-road bikes.

Acomb councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing said many residents, particularly in Viking Close and Celtic Close, said nuisance mopeds were a key problem in a recent crime survey.

She said: "Hopefully the work the police are doing will have an affect. I'm told it is already getting quieter and now it is just a case of getting hold of some persistent troublemakers."

Sergeant Stubbs said: "Residents we have spoken to are fed up of having these machines constantly racing round their streets, and understandably so.

"However, there is also a serious safety issue for the youths themselves. Some of the owners are letting others ride their machines, many are under 16 and will be untrained and unqualified, in addition to being uninsured.

"Some are carrying pillion passengers which they are not trained to do. Having a pillion passenger completely changes the handling characteristics, particularly with machines as small and light as these.

"All these factors significantly increase the risk of a collision. And, on occasions, riders or pillion passengers are not wearing helmets.

"In the event of a collision, this massively increases the likelihood of death or serious injury."

PC Graham Cooper said police were still anxious to trace one particular moped, which has been seen in the Danebury Drive area in the last two weeks.

He said: "On one occasion this vehicle made off from police down a footpath, even though it wasn't being pursued. If there had been children or other pedestrians in that area we could have been dealing with a tragedy. It is a small moped and we believe that the vehicle registration starts with L785 or similar."

Anyone who knows the owner of the mystery moped or who has seen it, is asked to phone York Police on 0845 6060247.

Updated: 10:05 Friday, February 11, 2005