Scooter thefts surge in DC, Metro Transit Police reports
WASHINGTON - Scooters are a great way to get from point A to point B.
That is if thieves don’t steal them first.
Metro Transit Police officials published a video on social media this week, noting that scooter thefts are on the rise. They told FOX 5 they’ve handled reports of 28 scooter thefts so far in 2024, which is a 22 percent increase from the same period the year before.
A man rides an electric scooter among the cars on May 28, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna-Rose GASSOT / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANNA-ROSE GASSOT/AFP via Getty Images)
Now, they’re urging scooter owners to use U-locks to keep their scooters safe when locked up.
"They got the right idea," Skylar White told FOX 5 Wednesday at Dupont Circle, adding that she now uses a U-lock on her scooter – after her last one was stolen in D.C.
"I think it’s devastating," White said of the thefts. "They’re not cheap, and they’re great modes of transportation. So, to hear that they’re just going missing isn’t great. I hope that whoever’s taking them needs the money."
Metro Transit Police officials also said that in an effort to deter the thefts, they’re conducting additional patrols.