The accessibility of rental electric scooters may lead us to believe that they are subject to a large number of thefts . However, the theft of electric scooters is increasingly affecting NVEIs (new personal electric vehicles), and this phenomenon is constantly increasing.
And for good reason, a free-floating electric scooter is generally worth much less than a personal vehicle which can be worth up to several thousand euros for large electric scooters .
There are still more or less infallible ways to avoid having your electric scooter stolen . Starting with having your vehicle close to you wherever you go, whatever you do as far as possible.
And yes, that's the advantage of having a foldable, light and compact electric scooter that you can take with you everywhere. But luckily, there are other ways to prevent electric scooter theft.
5 tips to avoid electric scooter theft
1 - Choose a quality and suitable anti-theft device
For the safety of your electric scooter, it is important to have a quality anti-theft device suitable for your vehicle. There are a multitude of effective lock models. But beware, a lock is not infallible. This is why we advise you to opt for two distinct and complementary protection mechanisms to protect your electric scooter. But how to choose your lock for electric scooter?
Here are 3 models of choice as an effective anti-theft device
Anti Theft Handcuffs with Key Master Lock
- Class 9 security level
- Suitable for all shapes and structures of electric scooters
- Rolled steel and reinforced pivot
- No fixed anchor points thanks to the swivel links
Folding lock with Master 90 key
- Safety rating: "Against Pro Thieves Class 4"
- Unfoldable up to 120cm
- Hardened steel links covered with ABS reinforced plastic
- Light and compact: easy to transport
Kryptonite Evolution Lite Mini 6 U-Lock
- High level of security: 7/10
- Resistant to pick picks, hacksaws and other bolt cutters
- Patented double lock
- Hardened steel
2 - Attach your scooter to the right place
Having a quality lock is a good start, but it is obvious that it must be attached to a fixed and solid place to prevent the theft of your electric scooter. Remember to check that the attachment support is not removable and that the scooter cannot be easily released.
Promote street furniture, cast iron poles, lampposts, benches fixed to the ground, parking space for bicycles. Avoid fences, vegetation, site installations, low posts, etc.
It is also important to favor places of passage , to deter thieves from any attempt to steal a scooter and to identify and report potential attempts.
3 - Keep the battery on you (if removable only)
Did you know that the most expensive item on your electric scooter is the battery ? It is very difficult for a thief to resell a scooter without a battery, so he has very little incentive to steal one without the removable battery .
Adopting the reflex of removing and keeping the battery of your electric scooter with you can therefore be a great guarantee of finding it where you left it.
The disadvantage, however, is that a battery is heavy and therefore not ideal to transport. It is therefore necessary to provide a backpack for more ease.
4 - Have the electric scooter marked
Because there is nothing irreversible in theft of an electric scooter if you anticipate it, it is now possible to find a stolen electric scooter and return it to its owner thanks to the anti-theft marking for scooters.
Engraving your electric scooter means allowing it to be registered in the operator's database and therefore making it identifiable. Since 2021, the data of all marking operators has been centralized in a single database to which the police have access.
We recommend AUVRAY's tamper evident label with ICA Bike- Official database
- Quick setup
- Aesthetic quality of the tamper evident label
- Benefit from advantageous conditions on your insurance
In the event of theft or loss of your electric scooter:
Once the marking code is registered, Weebot scans the code and the marking.
Auvray's ICA Bike system takes only a few moments to apply the tamper-evident label with unique identification number to be affixed to your vehicle.
In less than 30 minutes, a temporary certificate for your insurer will be immediately given to you. You will receive the final certificate with the registration number within 72 hours.
If you want to know more, we invite you to consult our article on compulsory bike engraving which is on the same principle.
5- Subscribe to theft insurance for electric scooters
As you already know, to ride an electric scooter, liability insurance is mandatory. This module covers you in the event of damage caused to a third party while traveling on an electric scooter.
We strongly recommend subscribing to the theft guarantee of theWeeClub Premium insurance . This covers you in the event of theft or attempted theft of your scooter.
Inexpensive, comprehensive and simple electric scooter theft insurance (online subscription in 2 minutes!) .
What to do if your electric scooter is stolen?
In case of theft of an electric scooter, the good reflex is to report it:
- To the police . Go to the police station to file a complaint, do not hesitate to communicate the serial number of your machine (via proof of purchase), as well as a photo of your scooter to facilitate research.
- To your insurance
- At the marking service, if your electric scooter is equipped with one
In many cases, the stolen electric scooters are then intended for sale on second-hand sites such as leboncoin . Take the time to monitor the classifieds. By filtering or putting alerts on ads bearing the brand of your electric scooter.