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 increasingly affects NVEIs (new individual electric vehicles), and this phenomenon continues to increase.
And for good reason, a free-floating electric scooter is generally much less expensive than a personal vehicle which can cost 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 whenever possible.
And yes, that's the advantage of having a foldable, light and compact electric scooter, which you can carry everywhere with you. But fortunately, 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 adapted to your vehicle. There are a multitude of effective anti-theft models. But be careful, an anti-theft device 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 electric scooter lock ?
Here are 3 models of choice as effective anti-theft devices
Anti Theft Handcuffs with Master Lock key
- Security level class 9
- Suitable for all shapes and structures of electric scooters
- Rolled steel with reinforced pivot
- No fixed anchor point thanks to pivoting links
Folding Lock with Master Key 90
- Security rating: "Against Pro Thieves Class 4"
- Expandable up to 120cm
- Hardened steel links covered with ABS reinforced plastic
- Lightweight and compact: easy to transport
Anti Vol en U Kryptonite Evolution Lite Mini 6
- High level of security: 7/10
- Resistant to picking devices, hacksaws and other bolt cutters
- Patented double lock
- Hardened steel
2 - Attach your scooter in the right place
Having a quality lock is a good start, but it is obvious that you must attach it to a fixed and solid place to prevent your electric scooter from being stolen. Remember to check that the attachment support is immovable and that the scooter cannot be released easily.
Promote street furniture, cast iron poles, lampposts, benches fixed to the ground, parking spaces for bicycles. Avoid fences, vegetation, construction site installations, low posts, etc.
It is also important to privilege places of passage, to deter thieves from any attempt to steal a scooter and make it possible to identify and report potential attempts.
3 - Keep the battery with you (if removable only)
Did you know that the most expensive element on your electric scooter is the battery ? It is very difficult for a thief to resell a scooter without a battery, so there is very little incentive for him to steal one without the removable battery .
Adopting the habit of removing and keeping the battery of your electric scooter with you can therefore be a good guarantee of finding it where you left it.
The disadvantage, however, is that a battery is heavy and therefore not ideal to transport. You should therefore bring a backpack for greater ease.
4 - Have the electric scooter marked
Because the theft of an electric scooter is not irreversible if you anticipate, it is now possible to find a stolen electric scooter and return it to its owner thanks to anti-theft marking for scooters .
Having your electric scooter engraved allows it to be recorded in the operator's database and therefore makes 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 the tamper-proof label from AUVRAY with ICA Bike- Official database
- Quick installation
- 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 tagging code is saved, Weebot scans the code and tagging.
The ICA Bike system from Auvray takes just a few moments to apply the tamper-proof label with a unique identification number to affix 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 would like to know more, we invite you to consult our article on compulsory bicycle engraving which is on the same principle.
5- Take out theft insurance for an electric scooter
As you already know, to ride an electric scooter, civil 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 theWeeClub Premium insurance theft guarantee . This covers you in the event of theft or attempted theft of your scooter.
Inexpensive, complete and simple theft insurance for electric scooters (subscribe online in 2 minutes!).
What to do if your electric scooter is stolen?
In the event of theft of an electric scooter, the right reflex is to report it:
- To the police. Go to the police station to file a complaint, do not hesitate to provide 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 classified ads. By filtering or putting alerts on ads bearing the brand of your electric scooter.
