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As electric scooters become a more common sight on our city streets, their low hum the only warning of their whizzing approach, so too do they become a target for thieves. While opinion is split between those who support the vehicles as a green alternative and those who rail against unsafe scooter riders flouting road laws, robbers in the Region of Murcia are all in agreement – these pricey scooters make for a lucrative steal.

 

Especially in the two weeks leading up to Christmas, thefts of electric scooters in Murcia increased according to police, and it’s mostly private individuals doing the deed rather than organised criminal gangs.

 

While some thieves are suspected of selling the stolen scooters online, most are thought to keep them for themselves or give them to friends and acquaintances as a Christmas present.

 

These electric scooters are far from cheap: they can cost up to 500 euros, while even the cheaper models go for up to 250 euros.

 

The difficulty with identifying and recovering stolen scooters lies in proving who the real owner is. Although they have serial numbers, it is not easy to match the serial number with the owner because there is no documentation needed like there is with a car.

 

If a police officer stops someone on a scooter and suspects that it is stolen, the most they can do is check the serial number to see if someone has reported this vehicle stolen.

 

Because of this, police are advising anyone who owns an electric scooter to personalise it with stickers or something else that will make it easier to identify. It also goes without saying that you should report the theft, too, and give details of any identifying marks in your statement.

 

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