Philadelphia Police Addressing Illegal Car, ATV Meetings

Philadelphia Police Department officials are cracking down on illegal ATV and car meetups on city streets. Police said these illegal vehicles have been garnering attention on social media and creating disturbances in the city, but officials say they're out to gain the upper hand advantage.

In May, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said the police force has gone full force with being proactive in the fight to curb nuisance activity on the city's streets.

Along with combatting violent crime, Bethel said he has prioritized cracking down on quality-of-life issues in the city. He said a turning point in the fight occured during the "Project X" meetup. During this event, cars and people shut down the intersection of Spring Garden Street and Delaware Avenue.

Bethel highlighted several tools that the department is using to combat the meetups, including using license plate-reading technology that can help officers catch the people involved.

"So you may get me in the moment; you saw how quickly they come together," Bethel told CBS News Philadelphia. "But when my men and women are on station, we'll be able to capture every car."

Since the "Project X" meetup that occurred in September 2024, police officers said they have seized more than 50 vehicles and made 27 arrests. 

According to ABC 6 News, officers towed a vehicle known as a "slingshot" from Fifth and Race streets in Old City during their enforcement effort on June 29. The police were also tipped off about potential street racing meetups, leading them to set up enforcement operations at the base of the Ben Franklin Bridge, a key entry point from New Jersey into Philadelphia.

Police officials have also been increasing their enforcement of getting illegal ATV vehicles and dirtbikes off city streets.

Deputy Commissioner Michael Cram told CBS News Philadelphia that the department removed 1,255 off-road vehicles off the street in 2024. Through May 14, 2025, police had removed another 617.