Stolen Scooters and What to Do

drinkingthestars · Post by **drinkingthestars** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 4:43 am

Tonight the scooter I bought to replace a scooter stolen three weeks ago was stolen. This is my third stolen scooter. The last two were locked. There has been a rash of scooter thefts in my neighborhood lately, as in pretty much anyone who owns a scooter has had it stolen. (I live in the Jamaica Plain/Roslindale/West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston.) The cop who took my report says he drives by a scooter every day on the way to work and wonders why it hasn't been stolen. The one I had stolen tonight was parked on a busy street in front of a restaurant's picture window.

Scooters are almost never recovered. Thieves are almost never caught and, when they are, they rarely pay any kind of price. Thieves can ride around on stolen scooters with impunity. They remove the license plates on registered scooters and wah lah! Your 150cc scooter looks just like a 49cc scooter that doesn't require a license plate. Cops can't chase someone they think is riding a stolen scooter because the little bastard will run a red light, get t-boned by a car going through the intersection and then the cop, not the thief, is in big trouble.

With no little ability or effort by law enforcement to stop scooter thefts, your bike is basically there for the taking. Scooter owners, especially those who go to the time and expense to register their bikes, deserve better. In a neighborhood like mine, where scooters are being stolen daily, the police should do more. Why can't they run a sting? It wouldn't solve the problem entirely, but if this occurred regularly, it would very likely cut down on the problem significantly. As I said, there is absolutely no disincentive for steeling scooters. This would provide one.

Comment? Anyone live in the Boston area who would like to help me put pressure on police to do more about this problem? Meanwhile, I sure do miss my ride. I have a free day tomorrow for the first time in awhile and was fantasizing about going riding for most of the day. Now I'm just having nightmares about winter...and scooter thieves.

Also, I'm not wanting to start a discussion on security here. I've researched that to the max--and will continue to as I contemplate whether living without a scooter or living with the possibility of it being stolen is worse--but clearly a lock or an alarm can only do so much.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 7:07 am

That really sucks. I hope you have some success in getting the local police to do something about the sorry situation. Are the social rejects hot wiring the scooters or are they just picking them up and loading them in a truck? Cutting the lock then rolling it away?

Have you considered getting a GPS tracking anti-thief device? Some of the smaller ones can be easily hidden somewhere on the scooter and have their own battery for power. They send GPS tracking information to your cell phone, and some plots location via Goggle maps.

drinkingthestars · Post by **drinkingthestars** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 12:22 pm

babblefish wrote:That really sucks. I hope you have some success in getting the local police to do something about the sorry situation. Are the social rejects hot wiring the scooters or are they just picking them up and loading them in a truck? Cutting the lock then rolling it away?

Have you considered getting a GPS tracking anti-thief device? Some of the smaller ones can be easily hidden somewhere on the scooter and have their own battery for power. They send GPS tracking information to your cell phone, and some plots location via Goggle maps.

It's the former, I'm sure. There is no way that a truck could have pulled up and managed to load in a scooter without being noticed during the most recent theft. They are just rolling them out of sight and then wiring them up and driving away. From what I have heard, the GPS solutions are imperfect, but then so are locks. So after three stolen scooters I am definitely looking into it. Last night, I was so crestfallen I was thinking maybe I should give this up. But I love it too much. And then the terrorists win.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 3:53 pm

drinkingthestars wrote:Tonight the scooter I bought to replace a scooter stolen three weeks ago was stolen. This is my third stolen scooter. The last two were locked. There have been a rash of scooter thefts in my neighborhood lately, as in pretty much anyone who owns a scooter has had it stolen.

I lived in the Back Bay / Fenway Park area of Boston for five years and owned a small motorcycle at the time. My solution was to not park it on the street over night. In each place I lived I found somewhere nearby where I could lock it up. Sure that cost me something, but it was worth it. That also gave me the advantage of getting it out of winter weather during storms and the like - I rode it year round.

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 4:10 pm

See if you can find out the exact number of scooters being stolen from the department. I believe it is available via the freedom of information act. Then write a letter to the chief and newspaper with the compiled statistics and total dollar amount. That should raise some eyebrows.

But you have to offer the police a solution. Offer a nice desireable scooter up for bait. Perhaps do a fundraiser in conjunction with a local dealer to raise money for the purchase of the bait scooter. The scooter should be wired up to shut down on command with an wireless ignition cut-off device. It will also be wired up with a tiny pinhole video camera facing the driver (mounted under the handlebar cover with a hole drilled in it).

The ignition cut-off device can be activated remotely by an undercover unit following the perp. When the police decide the location is ideal for a takedown, they cut the ignition. When the scooter coasts to a stop, the police pull up quickly and arrest the thief.

My local police use bait bikes and cars wired up like that all the time to nail the bastards.

drinkingthestars · Post by **drinkingthestars** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 4:15 pm

k1dude wrote:See if you can find out the exact number of scooters being stolen from the department. I believe it is available via the freedom of information act. Then write a letter to the chief and newspaper with the compiled statistics and total dollar amount. That should raise some eyebrows.

But you have to offer the police a solution. Offer a nice desireable scooter up for bait. Perhaps do a fundraiser in conjunction with a local dealer to raise money for the purchase of the bait scooter. The scooter should be wired up to shut down on command with an wireless ignition cut-off device. It will also be wired up with a tiny pinhole video camera facing the driver (mounted under the handlebar cover with a hole drilled in it).

My local police use bait bikes and cars wired up like that all the time to nail the bastards.

Great ideas. I'm going to meet with someone from the community services department of the local police department and start there. I agree that media attention to the problem is key to getting some movement on it. Unfortunately, I no longer own a nice, desirable scooter--and won't for awhile--but surely they can come up with a bait bike. Your local police seem to be ahead of the curve. The officer I talked to last night at the station near me admitted that they don't have a hell of a lot to do here. It is not, for the most part, a high crime area. I think this would be a good use of their time.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 4:32 pm

Does the Buddy have a fork lock? If so, I wonder how they're just wheeling it away.
And I wonder if it would be possible to modify the centerstand so that it can be locked when it's in the down position. Anything to make it so difficult to take the scooter that chumps bypass it to look for easier pickings.

ucandoit · Post by **ucandoit** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 7:58 pm

I agree with K1Dude: encourage the police to set up a sting--often. Somebody has to do something and even with a gps I would hate the confrontation with a thief. Bicycle owners, I'm one, have the same problem. I went to a police auction today to look at the bicycle graveyard of stolen bikes. It's pretty sad. Makes me want to live in Japan.

HowHH · Post by **HowHH** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 11:06 pm

I wonder if requiring 49cc scooters and mopeds to be registered and insured would make a difference. That what the DMV requires here in NYS. Having said that, I have no idea if there is any difference i frequency of thefts between states that require license and registration and those that don't.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:13 am

Historically, over the past several years, there have been a few geographic hotspots for scooter thefts: Boston, the Washington DC area and nearby Richmond, VA.

Hate to say it, but I think the methods and even desire for stealing scoots becomes part of the local criminal culture. Many probably don't view it as a serious offense. When scooters are recovered, they've often been joyridden and dumped or so messed up that they have no resale value.

I'm not sure how much mandatory insurance and registration affect thefts. It's conceivable that merely having a license plate is a deterrent. Would-be thieves might take the vehicle more seriously. Also, if all scooters had to be insured, they might know that thefts are more likely to be reported. That's a lot of conjecture, though. Thieves aren't necessarily likely to think about such things, particularly when they see an opportunity.

drinkingthestars · Post by **drinkingthestars** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:24 am

ericalm wrote:Historically, over the past several years, there have been a few geographic hotspots for scooter thefts: Boston, the Washington DC area and nearby Richmond, VA.

Hate to say it, but I think the methods and even desire for stealing scoots becomes part of the local criminal culture. Many probably don't view it as a serious offense. When scooters are recovered, they've often been joyridden and dumped or so messed up that they have no resale value.

I'm not sure how much mandatory insurance and registration affect thefts. It's conceivable that merely having a license plate is a deterrent. Would-be thieves might take the vehicle more seriously. Also, if all scooters had to be insured, they might know that thefts are more likely to be reported. That's a lot of conjecture, though. Thieves aren't necessarily likely to think about such things, particularly when they see an opportunity.

It absolutely has become part of the criminal culture and in some ways has replaced car theft, according to the police. It seems to me that the best deterrent would be periodic stings. Scooter theft is rife largely because the theif's chances of getting caught are almost nil.

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 4:39 am

The saying goes, If they really want it, they will get it. Im gonna preach security-aka-BIG ASS LOCK! The best you can afford. My lock is a Kryptonite Forgeraboutit. Yes, it can be cut, but its alot harder than a cable lock. Yes, I venture into Richmond VA and lock my scooter up and come out of the bar at 2:30-3am and its still there. Call it lucky or the fact that my scoot is better secured than the next scooter, but the only scooter I have had stolen was from my ignorance. I learned and beefed up my locking method. Not saying you are being careless, as some locations are WAY worse for theft than others, but review the method of theft and adapt. Oh, and petition for tags on 50cc scooters. It has made a dent in theft in Richmond AND the city gets revenue from the red light cameras. Not a solution, but it gives the police the power they need to recover and penalize the thieves.

drinkingthestars · Post by **drinkingthestars** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 11:55 am

sc00ter wrote:The saying goes, If they really want it, they will get it. Im gonna preach security-aka-BIG ASS LOCK! The best you can afford. My lock is a Kryptonite Forgeraboutit. Yes, it can be cut, but its alot harder than a cable lock. Yes, I venture into Richmond VA and lock my scooter up and come out of the bar at 2:30-3am and its still there. Call it lucky or the fact that my scoot is better secured than the next scooter, but the only scooter I have had stolen was from my ignorance. I learned and beefed up my locking method. Not saying you are being careless, as some locations are WAY worse for theft than others, but review the method of theft and adapt. Oh, and petition for tags on 50cc scooters. It has made a dent in theft in Richmond AND the city gets revenue from the red light cameras. Not a solution, but it gives the police the power they need to recover and penalize the thieves.

I agree 100% with you. The problem is that if you use your scooter for daily transportation you will encounter many parking situations where there is nothing to which you can chain it. Registered scooters are required to park on the street, so you can't just pull it up on the sidewalk and lock it to bike rack or something else. In these situations I used a disc lock, which has not been enough to deter thieves. There is no perfect solution to this, but better law enforcement would help. Any law enforcement would help. I'll post the results of my discussion with the community relations representative of my local police station.

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 1:11 pm

There is no control for lift-n-steal theft unless you do like England, and start a Lock It To Me campaign (look it up, GREAT idea). Now, I would get a quick release plate frame and park my scoot with the other 50cc's and just toss the plate under the seat then put it back one when I leave. Thats what we used to do but now all scooters are required to have tags so now they enforce the parking downtown-NO tagged vehicles on the sidewalk. Downside to all scooters tagged is you have to make your plate super theft proof, since crooks will steal your plate for their stolen scooter. Gotta stay one step ahead!

avescoots1134 · Post by **avescoots1134** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 2:49 am

Here in New Orleans, even if it's bolted down it gets taken. There is no police presence to ward off theft. The Buddies have been targeted due to the fact that they can be stolen so easily and word has spread. In the past 6mo, my service bay has been full of stolen and recovered scooters.

Out of all them, I've only been able to repair one. It's sad.

New2Scoots · Post by **New2Scoots** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 12:23 am

Here's a few ideas that might be worth a look. Anyone who parks their scooter outside but near their property, consider motion sensor lights. If someone creeps toward your scooter the lights go on. Might make some walk away. Also, maybe a trail camera with an infrared flash. Takes night pics when motion is detected so you at least get pics of the a**hole stealing your scoot & there is no visible flash at night. I have 3 around my house & 2 motion detector lights. I painted the cameras to match the house paint so no one notices & steals them. Also, a Xena alarm lock or clone/copy of one. Maybe. I've had 2. Both worked great for awhile & then started giving me false alarms. That was a few years ago, hopefully they're better now. One last thing; I went to Home Depot & got the thickest chain they sell & a big padlock. Weighed like 20 pounds but would probably take longer to cut through than most thieves are willing to deal with. That was for my motorcycle. I don't ride to work anymore, too many vandals & thieves out now so I take the beater car.

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:23 am

I have had good luck with Gorilla brand alarms for scooters in the past, but dont have one installed on any of them at the moment, kept breaking the key fobs! If chain on a budget is a must, get the chain/lock combo from Cycle Gear. The hex(ish) shape makes it a PITA to cut with bolt cutters, but almost nothing can stop a angle grinder. Still cant believe that people get scooters stolen on a regular basis. Either I have been super lucky or my security is just better than the next scooter. Come to think about it, I bet my bicycle lock is as heavy as my recumbent bicycle!

Invisibleanomaly · Post by **Invisibleanomaly** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 4:31 pm

My Xena alarm has stopped more than one theft at work and at home. It's one thing to lift the front and roll it off with a disc lock on, it's another to do so while something is screaming at 120 decibels. At home we heard the alarm go off in the back yard and someone ran past the window and back up our driveway right after. At work it was in the parking lot and the alarm went off and I ran to the window to see someone drop it and take off down the sidewalk. Now it gets parked outside of my office window, but it still gets the lock on it. I don't know if your disc lock had an alarm, but it does make a big difference, especially in places where you can't chain it up.

Do you have a local scooter meet-up group in your area? Talking to those people about theft and getting more of a movement going within your local scooter community would probably go a long way. Especially if many of them have been through this too, and have reports on file with the police department. More voices may mean something different to the department, and there may already be the stirrings of something like this going on in their group.

thumper650 · Post by **thumper650** » Thu Oct 15, 2015 10:31 pm

All this scooter theft is terrifying! I'm going to start locking mine up. I'm dying to leave this area, if someone jacked my Buddy that'd be the last straw!

pink09 · Post by **pink09** » Thu Oct 29, 2015 3:34 pm

I agree, its an unfortunate consequence to owning a scooter. I've had 2 stolen, one stolen twice- and twice recovered! Amazingly, a friend saw it on the street with a For Sale sign abt a month after it being stolen, (I figured it was long gone). I immediately stoked out the location, and called the cops after confirming it was mine. They took awhile to get there, (I was afraid I was going to hv to confront the guy myself if he came back), but they did, and set up a sting operation to catch him. He was arrested but I was never reimbursed for the cost of fixing it- which can be a lot I've come to find out. When checking what he was arrested for it was barely a slap on the wrist & he was out the next day. The 2nd time it was stolen- from being locked up inside my backyard behind a locked gate, I found my neighbor coincidentally "found it". But again, the cops couldn't even arrest him b/c they had no proof he actually stole it, however obvious, (he just said he found it and brought it inside since he didn't know whose it was, even tho I had waved at him many times from riding it).

Now, my scooter is so messed up from being stolen its not currently running, and I've poured so much money into it I could of almost bought a new scooter already, but I brought it in my house. I'm not taking any chances lol. Its right in my kitchen.

I do think that's a great idea though- regarding getting together and leaving bait scooters. They wouldn't necessarily have to even run, as you could catch people that just hoist them in a truck.

I'm down in anyone's in the Abq, NM area.

RedArmstrong · Post by **RedArmstrong** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:55 pm

Just checking in on this old thread... I just had my scooter stolen this am. Curious @drinkingthestars if you had any luck on new ideas to prevent the theft.

Mine was securely locked with big heavy duty chain, but they cut through it with a saw/blade of some kind. I'm thinking my only option is to park in a garage over night - given the frequency of thefts I've read about.

personality · Post by **personality** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 5:02 pm

If this still a really bad problem in your neighborhood/city, you should ask your city council member to push the police to do something about it. Contact their constituent services and let them know you want something done about it.

RedArmstrong · Post by **RedArmstrong** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 5:45 pm

Thanks @personality for your quick response... agreed still a nasty problem. From the research i've done just this morning, looks like there is a wave of scooter thefts. From what I've found, looks like best I can do is a find a more secure location to lock it over night (e.g. parking garage). Not much more I can do to physically secure it.

Stanza · Post by **Stanza** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 7:21 pm

Food for thought...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pywN558dJaU

Christophers · Post by **Christophers** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 7:28 pm

Stanza wrote:Food for thought...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pywN558dJaU

What's the summary of that vid?
(Can't watch it while at work)

RedArmstrong · Post by **RedArmstrong** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:25 pm

Stanza wrote:Food for thought...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pywN558dJaU

thanks! Helpful for sure. Gave me some more ideas of how to better secure the bike (e.g. double wrap to make it harder to cut, double lock). Also found that the Abus Granit Extreme 59 is expensive ($300) but by far the toughest to cut through - even with a saw.

Stanza · Post by **Stanza** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 9:10 pm

Christophers wrote:
Stanza wrote:Food for thought...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pywN558dJaU
What's the summary of that vid?
(Can't watch it while at work)

Essentially it's a video from the UK with an experienced bike thief showing how they cut through various locks. All the way from dollar store cable locks up to the Fugetaboutit chain lock and loop. It's depressingly informative...none survive.

JettaKnight · Post by **JettaKnight** » Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:42 pm

Christophers wrote:
Stanza wrote:Food for thought...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pywN558dJaU
What's the summary of that vid?
(Can't watch it while at work)

If you have a good bolt cutter, you can steal anything.

All forms of security simply make your stuff less appealing to steal.

This thread has renewed my appreciation of living in a smaller, more boring city.

Christophers · Post by **Christophers** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:31 am

Stanza wrote:
Christophers wrote: Essentially it's a video from the UK with an experienced bike thief showing how they cut through various locks. All the way from dollar store cable locks up to the Fugetaboutit chain lock and loop. It's depressingly informative...none survive.
Nice summary (encouraged me to come back and watch the video) and good video. Thanks for posting it!

RedArmstrong · Post by **RedArmstrong** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:26 pm

Thanks all for the updates. After looking around the inter web, I now have more passion for helping people find better ways to secure their scooter investment and keep the bad guys away...such as:
- Getting multiple locks (U-lock + heavy duty chain lock + wheel lock). I ended up buying a high end U-lock used for motorcycles (Abus Granit Extreme 59 U Lock) as the addition to heavy duty chain lock.
- Keeping chain locks "tight" leaving as little slack as possible.
- Using a cover as one more, albeit small, hassle layer for thief to get through
- Choose good overnight parking location (e.g. parking garage).

Still looking into motion sensor locks and possibly GPS.

Going nuclear on this

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 4:24 pm

RedArmstrong wrote:Thanks all for the updates. After looking around the inter web, I now have more passion for helping people find better ways to secure their scooter investment and keep the bad guys away...such as:
- Getting multiple locks (U-lock + heavy duty chain lock + wheel lock). I ended up buying a high end U-lock used for motorcycles (Abus Granit Extreme 59 U Lock) as the addition to heavy duty chain lock.
- Keeping chain locks "tight" leaving as little slack as possible.
- Using a cover as one more, albeit small, hassle layer for thief to get through
- Choose good overnight parking location (e.g. parking garage).

Still looking into motion sensor locks and possibly GPS.

Going nuclear on this

Get a disc lock with motion sensor alarm in addition to the other methods you mentioned.

Modern Buddy

Stolen Scooters and What to Do

Stolen Scooters and What to Do

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re: stolen scooter