Neighbourhood officers in Thanet have been urging people to think twice before riding e-scooters in public.
As part of a week-long operation tackling anti-social behaviour in the district, officers on patrol have taken the opportunity to stop and speak to anyone seen riding an e-scooter to educate them on the law.
A total of 10 riders were spoken to, and were advised that if they continued to use the e-scooter, they would risk getting the vehicle seized by police.
Police have also spoken to schools and provided posters to pupils which inform them that e-scooters cannot be used legally on the road and should only be used on private land.
Inspector Jim Woodward of the Thanet Community Safety Unit, said: ‘Unless riders were unwilling to co-operate, our main aim was to educate people. Around half of the riders spoken to this week were teenagers or younger, and were unaware they might have their e-scooter seized if seen again. These are expensive vehicles at risk of being taken by police if seen on a road, cycle lane or pavement, so it’s important parents consider this before buying one as a gift for their children.’
The work was carried out as part of Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, where activities are ongoing around the country to raise awareness of the issue and the responses open to authorities.
Tackling anti-social behaviour is also an important part of Kent Police’s Safer Summer initiative, which is also focused on road safety and tackling violent crime.
For more information on Safer Summer, click here.
For more information on anti-social behaviour and how to report it, click here.