Criminals across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will soon be left feeling crushed as officers step up the fight against those causing misery in our neighbourhoods on e-scooters and e-motorcycles. Officers now have the power to start crushing e-scooters and off-road e-motorcycles being used to commit crimes, as part of Operation Crush. The launch of this new crackdown will target those illegally using the 2-wheeled vehicles to commit further crimes, those persistently involved in anti-social behaviour, and those putting themselves or other road users at risk of injury. This is all part of the force’s commitment to relentlessly pursue criminals, using all possible tactics available to disrupt their operations and help make communities safer. Despite not being legally allowed to be used in public places, a steady increase in the popularity of what are known as privately owned, powered, two-wheel vehicles (P2WVs), such as e-scooters and off-road electric motorcycles has been seen. Unfortunately, this has resulted in officers seeing more and more of them used by those involved in crime and being used dangerously, potentially putting lives at risk. So, officers have taken action to enhance their powers and have used existing legislation that gives them the option to destroy any e-scooter or e-motorcycle that is being used in crime. Inspector Andy Tester said:
“Given the difficulties there can be stopping these vehicles and identifying the riders, we have noticed them becoming really popular with those committing a variety of different crimes, including those involved in drugs gangs. “While we will always try and engage with people first and educate them about the laws around these vehicles, unfortunately not everyone is willing to listen to us and refuse to heed our warnings. “So, we realised we needed to deploy tougher tactics for those persistent offenders and looked at how we can use existing legislation to offer more of a deterrence. “This means that whenever our officers deal with a crime involving e-scooters and other P2WVs, they will have another option to consider and where proportionate, this could end up with a disposal notice being served and the vehicle being crushed. “We hope that this action shows our communities that we have listened to their concerns about the rising use of these e-scooters and e-motorcycles being ridden dangerously or being used to carry out crime and anti-social behaviour. “We believed that this change in policy will help clamp down on those committing numerous offences with these vehicles and act as a significant deterrent. “We know that the crushing of these vehicles will disrupt criminal activity because they will need to spend more money to buy replacement vehicles. Some of the electric motorcycles used by criminals can cost several thousands of pounds, so this will have a significant impact on their operations. The police only have to be lucky once, they have to be lucky every time to not be caught.”
Good news, come to the West Wight and catch the electronic bicycle riders whizzing along up to 40 miles per hour and pulling wheelies. They are a real danger.
I’m sure the usual suspects will hate on my sensible comment and thumb me down.
Blimey, forty miles an hour on an e-bike? Must be down a chine or those evil pensioners jazzing up their biles. Down our way in Freshwater, the biggest danger by far is lycra clad bumholes going by at up to 30mph inches away down tracks and lanes and roads without the courtesy of a bell or even a shout.
I do hope Cllr Jordan’s favourite Beryl dangerous machines will be included in this Police action, yes not owned by the hirer, but equally as dangerous .. the hire process is completely flawed .. but Cllr Jordan cannot understand just how dangerous/fatal these machines are.
I vote that you hire some Beryl scooters and paint them pink, ride dangerously until you are stopped and the now disguised scooters are crushed. Continue doing so until all of the Beryl scooters are gone from the island.
Go forth my Son, you know it makes sense.
Does not make sense as what you are saying is, go commit theft and criminal damage to something that is not yours and then get points on your licence for no insurance, think of what you wish for.
My sensible sarcasm was not understood by you…
People are moaning about lunatic riders on Beryl scooters and want rid of them. I cheekily suggested a way to do that and you took it seriously.
Please follow me for more sensible tips.
And you think that is sensible sarcasm, keep taking the tablets then follow your carers advice for sensible replies.
Here Here.
Does not matter what brand of Scooter, if being used in a dangerous fashion
crush it.
Does that mean persons scootering around on Beryl Scooters
wrecklessly will have the Beryl scooters crushed!
No, because they’re being used legally. That doesn’t mean they can’t be prosecuted for dangerous driving/drink/drug driving same as a car driver… Oh and that includes driving without a licence/insurance- hired legitimately and lent to a mate…
How are they being used legally?
No safety helmets are provided to the users
They ar an Health and Safety risk
Anyone suffering a serious injury using a Beryl Scooter
Can sue the pants off of the Owners of Beryl Scooters
about time too, especially as the owner don`t carry insurance for these things, leaving the general public to pick up the pieces when and incident occurs
These things are the stupidest products ever to have been allowed in the consumer market. Was it not obvious at the outset that a certain youth demographic, instinctively dismissive of any kind of law, would acquire them and cause mayhem?
A bit like the inventor of drones..
They are fantastic for sensible people to do work with ~ news stories, surveying roofs and land, looking for lost people and pets etc.
But the majority of owners who got them for Christmas are youths who buzz them around nature reserves and recreation grounds or hover them over the garden as we sunbathe naked.
Sensible people should be allowed to use them for work, not youths for fun.
In ten years time they’ll be selling ride~on drones and people will be moaning about them as they career over rooftops in the early hours of the night.
Are you Nancy Pelosi’s husband? I suppose you might indeed enjoy time-out from the Washington buzz, and focus on the IW, if only to continue your recuperation after the awful attack on you.
I do hope they take the batteries out first, Lion batteries don’t like physical damage
The IOW police clamping down on these hardened criminals on scooters. I’m sure we’ll all feel safer now these people are forced off the road temporarily. You couldn’t make this nonsense up.
Too many people have died under the wheels of these death traps! Get them off my roads!
How many have died, exactly… ??
and YOUR roads ??
Since 2019 there has been 37 deaths on UK roads involving e-scooters.
I think he worded it badly in regards to, ” my roads ”, as we, as drivers, have cause to use any of them in the UK not just the island.
Your roads? So do something about it!
As you can see below, irony and sarcasm etc are wasted on these pages, Islanr
We can only hope this would include the beryl scooters riden by underage chavs.
Believe it when I see it. Still see them around Newport on a daily basis even seen the police drive straight past someone on one and do NOTHING
and on Ryde Esplanade, police just ignore them.
Nothing in it for them
They cannot be bothered
Beryl are not going to be happy about that.
I find this to be a smoke screen. The police have always had the powers to seize escooters, so why now? There must be thousands of private ones around now compared to a few years ago, yet a few years ago the police chose to ignore them. Double standards from the police, but year on year we paying more
Why are shops allowed to sell escooters when they are not allowed on public streets.
But the council can still hire these out….
Corruption at it’s best
Excellent news ,could do with this country wide, but not happening
The riders should also be put in the crusher.
The places that destroy these would need licences for approval as the batteries not only toxic to environment but also a fire hazard.
It also costs money to dispose of correctly:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste-batteries-treat-recycle-and-export
Yet nothing is done to the drunk boomers stocking up on their daily tipple at Sainsburys and leave a trail of destruction behind them as they leave the car park.
Halfords happily selling them to anyone who wants them.
Its not illegal to sell them as it is no difference to buying tint for the car windows in Halfords its how and where they’re used is the issue that could make it illegal.
I dont get why people have such an issue with e-scooters, you are just as likely to get in an accident with a bike rider or Horses and Dogs etc, the reason e-scooters are illegal is because the Gov want you on a rent fully monitored vehicle that you can be banned from rather than freedom of movement unmonitored.
Why they are at it crush drink/drug driver vehicles and the 125cc bikes with illegal exhausts that make more noise than a tank.
Why don’t they crack down on some real crimes not kids enjoying themselves and having fun bunch of jobsworths