DETROIT (WXYZ) — Early Monday morning at a police impound lot on Detroit's east side, a number of people ran past security officers and intimidated them in an effort to illegally retrieve some of the 20 ATVs police seized two days earlier.
"That tells you the lengths people will go through to have these ATVs," Detroit Police Deputy Chief Mark Bliss said.
Several people managed to take off on the ATVs, but security officers were able to stop a number of other ATVs from being driven off the lot.
The ATVs were seized early Saturday morning from the rear of a house on Detroit's west side.
Police said undercover officers spotted the ATVs being driven around downtown Detroit and followed the vehicles to the house where they were later seized.
According to police, it's illegal to operate an ATV on public streets.
Stunt rider Jose "Coco Bloxz" said one of the ATVs belongs to him and for two days, he says he's been going to the impound lot with ownership documents in hopes of retrieving it.
Jose said he was in New York when they were seized. He said a tow truck driver was hauling a number of ATVs to Michigan for a big event a few hours away from Detroit, where riders perform in hopes of securing endorsements.
"The tow truck driver had family over here, so he stopped to rest and put bikes in the yard and in the garage, safe," Jose told 7 Action News.
But police maintain that the ATVs were being driven recklessly and posing a danger to other drivers and pedestrians.
An hour or two before Detroit police seized the ATVs, Warren police said they pursued a group of 30 to 40 ATVs through their city. The pursuit ended when the ATV riders entered into Detroit.
Detroit police said they are searching for the missing ATVs, and now following the New York Police Department's lead and planning to destroy the ATVs they seize.
Detroit Deputy Chief Mark Bliss said one of Chief James White's initiatives is to get rid of ATVs that he said are often being used to "terrorize the community."
"Chief White has made it clear that those vehicles are a nuisance and he wants them destroyed," Bliss said.
