Electric scooters stolen just days after start of Hartlepool pilot scheme

The e-scooters, understood to be worth around £1,000 each, were taken overnight on Thursday, August 27, from Church Square – one of three locations they can be hired from across the town.

They only launched in Hartlepool on Monday, August 24.

Luckily, they were quickly tracked down and are back in operation.

Hartlepool has 20 of the scooters after Teesside was selected as the trial area for the rest of the country.

Community interest company Hartlepower is managing the scheme in Hartlepool.

Peter Gowland, of Hartlepower, said: “We have got them back thankfully and they are in operation again.

"It is disappointing. This is a trial in Teesside and we will have to get in touch with our colleagues to find out if they have had similar experiences.

"It will be evaluated in due course as part of the decision whether to roll it out further.”

The police were notified of the theft but Mr Gowland said they are not going to press charges as they have recovered them.

They are usually kept outside the three pick up points so they can be hired and to advertise the scheme.

But Mr Gowland emphasised they cannot be ridden without paying for their hire and ‘unlocking’ them via the Ginger mobile phone app.

"I think people think they are ordinary scooters but they're not,” he said.

However, following Thursday’s theft, he said they will now be taken in on Friday and Saturday evenings when they may be especially vulnerable.

The scooters can also be hired from the Community Hub Central in York Road and Seaton Carew clock tower.

They first launched in Middlesbrough in July and 500 will be in operation across the Tees Valley by next summer.

The local trial was secured after being championed by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and the combined authority.

They have a maximum speed of 12.5 miles per hour and can be ridden by anyone over 18 with a provisional driving or moped licence.

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