Sussex Police confiscated more than 100 privately owned electric scooters last year and have seized more than 60 so far this year.
The number of e-scooters seized – it is illegal to ride them on roads and pavements – emerged at a police performance and accountability meeting on Friday (13 September).
Sussex police and crime commissioner Katy Bourne told Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Pete Gardner that her office continued to receive letters complaining about e-scooters from across the county.
ACC Gardner said that privately owned electric scooters could be used legally on private land but not on public roads, bridleways or pavements.
Ms Bourne said that she and many others saw e-scooters on the road every day and asked what powers officers had to deal with illegal use.
ACC Gardner said that e-scooters were classified as motor vehicles but were not registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Drivers could not get insurance and the police could seize e-scooters if they were being used in public without insurance.
Last year, he said, 107 scooters were confiscated and up to the end of July this year the force had seized 60.
ACC Gardner said that the force operated a “two strikes” policy if a child under 16 had a scooter.
In the first instance, officers would speak to the parents but a child caught a second time would face prosecution. Adults were prosecuted for a first offence.
He also said that people should report illegal e-scooter use on the non-emergency 101 phone number unless a crime was taking place, say, the theft of a mobile phone. In such cases, people should call 999.
Mrs Bourne said: “You’ve got to catch them first – and that’s the hardest thing. The public will say: ‘If I phone 101, they’re gone by now.’
“What is the point of the public phoning it in on 101, the non-emergency number because by the time someone picks the information up, the personal scooter will be long gone?
“Would you say if it’s a regular occurrence in a particular location, you can do something about it?”
ACC Gardner said that it was always valuable to receive reports as the information was used for intelligence.
He said: “Our neighbourhood officers really know their areas well so if they’re getting multiple reports in a particular area of e-scooters and a description of an individual, it won’t take them long to recognise who that individual is.
“Then they can take proactive action against that individual so the data may not get them then and there but we will take action.”
He also said: “It is very challenging when someone is on an e-scooter to capture them without causing them harm.”
ACC Gardner said that reputable dealers would inform buyers that they can only be used on private land and inform them about potential issues with batteries exploding
The fire risk has led to a ban on e-bikes and e-scooters at eight tower blocks owned by Brighton and Hove City Council.
