DANGEROUS drivers and illegal motorists around Bolton have kept the police busy in the last month.

During the month of May officers have seized or recovered at least 15 vehicles around Bolton, including a bike hidden in some bushes, a car missing from Milton Keynes and plenty from people driving without insurance or licences.

Officers started the month issuing requirements for the driver of an Audi RS3 stopped in Church Road to sort his registration plate, which did not confirm to DVLA standards, and to lighten his windows, which were tinted allowing only 29 per cent of light through.

On May 4 police officers found two stolen vehicles, a Mercedes and a BMW, which had been given false plates.

The next day a takeaway driver claimed he was using his friend's Mercedes C200 in Alexandra Road. However police checks showed he had no insurance, he received a Traffic Offence Report (TOR), six points and a £300 fine.

The Bolton News:

That same day officers were forced to ram a Fiat 500 preventing a pursuit from taking place after it was stolen from Bolton and spotted again in Bury. Two people were arrested.

A Nissan Almera was being driven "erratically" in Deane on May 9 reported officers. It was found with a crumpled bumper and smashed windscreen in Dinsdale Drive. The driver had no insurance. The car was recovered.

The Bolton News:

At 5am that day officers pursued a VW Passat through Little Lever at speeds approaching 100mph. The driver became lost in the estate and stopped in Herbert Street. Police arrested the driver for dangerous driving, failing to stop and drug driving. Officers said: "[The driver] stated he drove like that because he had no insurance!"

The driver of an Audi Q7 was issued with a prohibition notice and a TOR on May 13 in Tonge Moor Road for having excessively tinted windows letting in just 14 per cent of the light.

A driver who had forgotten to renew his insurance, which ended in April, was stopped on May 13 in Waterloo Street. He was given a TOR, six points and a £300 fine.

The Bolton News:

Later officers were called by staff at B&Q who suspected a man of driving while under the influence. The car was stopped in Kay Street where the driver failed a roadside drug test and the car was found to be stolen.

A white Mercedes was found abandoned in Bolton on May 13 and found to have been stolen from Milton Keynes.

A driver with 30 points on his licence was sent back to court after officers found him to have no insurance when stopped in Walley Street. He had also recently finished being disqualified from driving. The car was seized.

A car was crushed after Jack Collier of Parkfield Avenue, Farnworth was convicted of driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and with no insurance. He was given eight points and fined £569.

A man was arrested for failing a roadside drug test and being caught on his phone while driving a BMW 118 on May 15 in Armitage Avenue, Little Hulton.

A Ford Transit van was seized on May 16 after being stopped in Garstang Avenue, Breightmet. The driver told police he was insured on a friends trade policy, but was not covered for the nature of the journey. The van also had a defective tyre.

The Bolton News:

A police officer stopped a Renault Megane in Ainsworth Road on May 16 and found they had already stopped the driver. She was an unsupervised provisional licence holder with no insurance. The vehicle was seized.

The driver of a Ford Fiesta stopped in Blenheim Road on his way back from the MOT Centre did not have insurance that permitted the use of the car. Officers issued a TOR.

The Bolton News:

Police officers stopped a driver in Union Road on May 18 whose insurance policy had run out two days previously. They seized the car and issued a TOR.

On May 21 police received a tip off about a disqualified driver. She was spotted in Hulton Lane, the vehicle was stopped and seized and the driver arrested.

This month officers also recovered a motorbike hidden in the undergrowth in Farnworth. It was found to have been stolen in November.

A VW had to be towed away from Slack Fold Lane on May 24 after were police were alerted to it blocking the road. The lane was tight even for recovery truck said officers. A TOR was issued.

The Bolton News:

Officers can seize a vehicle if they think it’s being used in a way that causes alarm, harassment or distress, for example careless or inconsiderate driving.

They can also seize a vehicle if they think it’s being driven by someone who does not have a proper licence or insurance, if it's dangerously, illegally or obstructively parked and if it's broken-down or abandoned.