Police in Merseyside have been confronting a surge in electric bike-related crime, with offenders increasingly using the vehicles for illegal activities across the region.
The trend has prompted arrests and new enforcement strategies, with officers recently detaining two suspects after discovering them with a suspected stolen e-bike inside a property in Kirkby.
The incident, which took place earlier this month, highlighted how criminals are exploiting e-bikes for various offences, with riders now facing harsher punishments.
It comes after the police arrested an 18-year-old from Stockbridge Village and a 14-year-old from Orrell Park on suspicion of burglary with intent to steal.
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PAThey were found inside flats on Roughwood Drive with a Sur-ron electric bike that matched descriptions of one ridden anti-socially in the area. Both suspects have been conditionally bailed as investigations continue.
A Response officer conducting unrelated enquiries spotted an insecure door at the flats around 6.30pm. Upon entering, he discovered the two males inside with the electric bike charging.
The suspects were unable to explain who owned the bike, which resulted in officers seizing the vehicle, which had reportedly been used for anti-social behaviour locally.
Response Inspector David Yates said: "Thanks to the alertness of our officer, an e-bike suspected of causing a nuisance in the community is off the streets, and two males suspected of burglary have been detained."
He added: "This should be a reminder to offenders that Merseyside Police officers are tireless in their pursuit of justice, and where their suspicions arise, they will leave no stone unturned to ensure the public are protected from harm."
Yates warned that criminals have turned to electric bikes for transporting drugs and weapons across Merseyside.
"We know that criminals have increasingly turned to electric bikes not only to engage in anti-social behaviour, but to transport drugs and weapons around Merseyside on roads, pavements and public footpaths, often stealing the high-value bikes to support their illegal trade," he said.
The inspector emphasised that community support remains crucial for enforcement efforts.
"Where the community have told us electric bikes are being used for this purpose, we have increased high visibility police patrols," Yates explained.
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More e-bike riders have been caught conducting criminal activity
GETTYHe urged residents to report information about stolen e-bikes: "The support of the public is a vital part of our efforts to stop criminals in their tracks, and stop them bringing intimidation, violence and misery into the heart of our communities."
Merseyside Police have launched specialist e-bike patrol teams to combat the rising criminal use of electric bikes.
The initiative, announced on May 21, deploys trained officers on e-bikes across Huyton and Stockbridge Village.
The patrols will operate in parks, residential areas and town centres ahead of the busy summer months. Officers aimed to provide swift responses to incidents involving antisocial behaviour and robbery.
Temporary Local Policing Inspector David Hassett, overseeing the launch, explained the strategic importance, warning that e-bikes are now at the "centre of an awful lot of crime, in the same way scrambler bikes were 10 years ago".
E-bike riders can face prosecution for failing to follow traffic rulesPAThe new teams form part of a wider summer safety campaign, with additional e-bike patrols planned across Knowsley.
Inspector Hassett highlighted how stolen e-bikes are being modified for criminal purposes: "Stolen e-bikes can be illegally modified and turned into a criminal's choice tool for drug dealing and robbery, so having this specific e-bike capability is really essential for us as a Local Policing team."
The new patrols offer enhanced pursuit capabilities.
"We can pursue criminals on and off the roads as well. With this patrol, there's nowhere they can run that we can't immediately follow," Hassett stated.
He urged owners to take preventative measures: "I would really urge anyone who has bought an e-bike to get a tracker for it.
"We're much more likely to be able to get it back for you if it's stolen, if it has a tracker, and it gives us a much better chance of being able to catch the perpetrator, preventing more crime down the line."
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