Oakland police arrest 4, seize weapons in illegal dirt bike crackdown

At least four people have been arrested as part of a crackdown into illegal dirt bike riding in Oakland, authorities said.

According to police, the arrests stem from a March 2 incident in which a group of people were riding dirt bikes and ATVs on city streets.

During the incident, one of the riders attempted a carjacking on the 5400 block of Telegraph Avenue. An officer who witnessed the incident responded to the scene.

The officer arrested the suspected carjacker. Meanwhile, other members of the group briefly surrounded the officer and tried to kick the officer before leaving.

Police said the officer was not injured.

A police helicopter followed the group from the air. As they escaped, another rider in the group struck a dog and left the scene. The dog was treated for injuries.

Following an investigation, warrants were served Monday at locations in Pittsburg, Antioch and Brentwood in eastern Contra Costa County. The searches led to the arrests of three more people.

Police did not release the suspects' names.  

The searches also yielded six dirt bikes, one vehicle, two semiautomatic pistols and an assault rifle. Police shared photos of the seized dirt bikes, two of which appeared to be parked inside a home.

"OPD remains committed to addressing illegal and dangerous vehicle activity and holding offenders accountable," police said in a statement Thursday.

Monday's arrests follow another crackdown earlier this month in which six dirt bikes were seized by officers.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department.