Batman and Robin's Batmobile Legal, Police Say

Officers on patrol in Warwick this past weekend got a memorable dispatch over their police radios.

“All units, keep a check for a three-wheeled Batman-type vehicle,” the dispatcher said. “Vehicle possibly occupied by Batman and Robin.”

Police caught up with the caped crusader a short time later and soon found that the “Batmobile” was just a three-wheeled Polaris Slingshot motorcycle and the driver and passenger were tooling around legally.

An audio recording released by Warwick police of the dispatch was making the rounds on the internet on Thursday.

Here’s how the whole thing went down: the duo caught the attention of an officer on patrol near Oakland Beach - a popular spot along the water for the owners of classic cars, motorcycles and Batmobiles to loop through (and maybe eat some clamcakes at Iggy’s).

Lt. Joe Hopkins of the Warwick Police Department told the Warwick Post that the officer didn’t recognize what kind of vehicle it was, so he radioed its description to dispatchers.

One stopped, the driver and police had a good laugh about the whole thing once it was determined that everything was legal.

A Polaris Slingshot is technically a motorcycle and offers a low-to-the-ground and open-air driving experience with a car-like driving interface. You get a steering wheel, five-speed manual transmission and some creature comforts.

Fans say it offers the best of both worlds between riding a motorcycle and driving a small and sporty roadster. The sense of speed, even at the speed limit, is exhilarating. And driving a three-wheeled motorcycle feels safer to drive, especially when your partner in crime or heroics is along for the ride.

Do you know the owner of the “Batmobile?” Drop a tip at mark.schieldrop@patch.com or on Twitter: