Summer heats up in Annapolis, scooters get stolen

As Andrea F. Siegel reports for the Baltimore Sun, the scooters on the streets of Annapolis, Maryland, are hot targets for theft.

Those accused of thieving the scooters tend to be young. "A lot of times it is juveniles who are responsible," Siegel quotes one police officer, "they are looking at it to get from Point A to Point B."

The problem with scooters - from the point of view of an owner who wants to keep his or her scooter - is how light they are.

Siegel describes a variety of ways in which the lightweight vehicle is swiped, including:

• Two people lifting the scooter high enough to free it from its chain or lock around a short post
• Rolling the scooter right into the back of a truck or van
• Popping the ignition to get the scooter started without a key and driving off with it

Siegel also quotes a 23-year-old cook who had his $1,200 scooter stolen: "It's really fun to drive, especially on a nice cool day. I use it for work, I use it for pleasure. Well, not anymore."

Incidentally, even a relatively innocent joyride on someone else's scooter - perhaps just going from Point A to Point B - can end in felony theft charges, which in Maryland includes theft of property valued at $1,000 or more.

Source: Annapolis motor scooter thefts spike in hot summer months