WATCH: California Police Trap Suspects, Seize 77 Dirt Bikes in ‘Reckless’ Bay Bridge Takeover

A big pile of dirt bikes and ATVs were seized after police shut down a street takeover on the Bay Bridge in California on Sunday.

The incident happened on the bridge that connects San Francisco and Oakland and caused a nightmare for drivers caught in the trouble, KTLA reported Monday.

The Oakland Police Department (OPD) said dozens of suspects initially met in San Leandro then moved through East Oakland, Berkley, and San Francisco and officials were alerted to a “bike takeover” around 4:45 p.m.

The riders later ended up back on the Bay Bridge where agencies including OPD, San Francisco police, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) coordinated roadblocks to trap them.

OPD video footage showed the riders moving across the bridge as police vehicles were also seen lined up nearby with their lights flashing. At one point, it appeared the riders realized they could not cross and moved closer to traffic at the other end of the bridge:

Many of the suspects abandoned their vehicles but police then swooped in to arrest others. OPD said authorities seized 77 bikes, arrested nine suspects, and recovered two firearms. The vehicles used to transport the bikes into the area were also impounded, the KTLA article noted.

OPD said, “If you were involved, we are actively pursuing leads. We will not tolerate reckless activity.”

“According to the Oakland Fire Department, one of the alleged bikers jumped into the bay. That person was rescued and arrested for allegedly trying to dodge police,” KTVU reported.

Illegal street takeovers are not uncommon in California. During one instance in 2024 that took place in Los Angeles, a driver lost control of a pickup truck while trying to perform stunts and plowed into the crowd, according to Breitbart News.

Months later, another street takeover in Santa Ana drew hundreds of participants. Such takeovers have also been common occurrences in other areas of the nation.

Lolita Harper, executive director of the Sheriff’s Employees’ Benefit Association, said at the time, “They’ve become … more and more dangerous in terms of the damage that they’re causing, the crowds that they’re attracting and the essentially taking over of entire communities and or intersections, even resulting in … property damage, cars being lit on fire, windows [sic], smashes.”

Following the Bay Bridge incident, OPD Interim Chief James Beere said, “This isn’t over. If you made it away yesterday, just expect a knock at your door.”