Record haul of illegal e-bike and e-scooter seizures

The highest number of e-bikes and e-scooters have been seized this year across Dorset by police in an effort to curb anti-social behaviour.

Dorset Police said the 99 e-bikes - including scramblers and motorbikes - along with 128 illegal e-scooters had been taken under road safety laws in response to an increase in reported incidents over illegal e-vehicle misuse.

The force said the record number came alongside officers using a new forensic spray from March to tag anti-social cyclists and motorcyclists in Poole and North Bournemouth.

The haul of seized e-bikes and e-scooters were crushed and recycled.

The force said use of the spray, SmartTag, a traceable water-based marking solution, is now set to be extended further across Poole and Bournemouth and the wider Dorset area.

The spray allows officers to mark bikes and scooters and the clothing of the rider. It can be traced using a UV light.

Insp Nick Lee, of the Poole neighbourhood policing team, said: "The impact of the anti-social use of these illegal electric vehicles in our communities is regularly raised as a concern and that is why we have taken robust and decisive action to combat the issue, yielding a record number of seizures.

"Their unlawful use in public areas puts pedestrians and other road users at risk."

The force also urged people to make sure they check vehicles comply with the law before buying them.