More than 100 e-scooters crushed by police in Hampshire and Isle of Wight
The county's Police and Crime Commissioner says they are becoming a commonly-used tool in crimes such as drug dealing
Police in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have seized and crushed more than 100 e-scooters after criminals were caught using them.
The counties' police and crime commissioner Donna Jones also said that more education is needed to prevent children from committing “unintentional crime” by riding private electric scooters.
Speaking at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight police and crime panel on Monday (March 10th), the Conservative PCC also said that electric motorbikes are “almost exclusively” connected to crime due to their high cost, some nearly £5,000, and agility.
She said:
“The police have said to me that almost exclusively, they are connected to criminality because you can get a bike that will get you from A to Be that doesn’t look menacing and isn’t as quick.
“Because of their cost and agility for criminals, it’s pretty much an exclusive market. Very few people are riding them, not doing something wrong.”
Electric motorbikes and scooters are linked to crime, with electric scooters being used to distribute drugs, making them a target for the police force.
“There are lots of people using them to push drugs around at speed, and they can stick it over their shoulder, collapse the scooter down, get the lift, go up, drop off, come down, and they’re off again. They are the ones that are being targeted for the crash.”
Those linked to criminal activities are being seized and crushed. PCC Jones said data released in January showed 112 electric scooters had been seized and crushed in 2024.
Regarding children using electric scooters to travel to school and college, Mrs Jones said that police officers are expected to stop them and inform them that they are “committing an offence” since they “shouldn’t be using a private scooter”.
“You will be committing an offence if you ride a private scooter on the road because it’s not possible to get an MOT and insurance on them, so effectively, you are committing an offence. It could be an unintentional crime you’re committing as a 15-year-old if you’ve had one bought for you for your birthday.”
Therefore, “more education needs to be done” to parents in this aspect since she thinks parents “would be loath to spend £450 on an electric scooter if they knew that they’re encouraging their young person to go and commit a crime”.
She added that the central government needs to take action on the issue, “make it lawful” or “make it clear that you can’t use a private scooter”.
“I think the responsibility lies with the government. I told previous transport secretaries that they’re creating the issue. Either change the law and make it lawful for them to use them but make it really clear that you need to go and cycle lanes, or make it clear through a national campaign that you can’t use private scooters and then maybe Halfords or stop selling them.
“But this is the problem that we’ve got. We’re up against it. You can buy them in shops like Halfords or online. Then, people don’t realize they’re committing a crime when they buy one for their kid.”