Almost 100 e-bikes and 130 e-scooters have been seized this year as part of the Force’s mission to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB).
Throughout the year, 99 illegal e-bikes – including scramblers and sur-rons – and 128 illegal e-scooters have been seized under road safety legislation, representing the highest levels of seizures recorded by the Force ever.
As part of a trial in the Poole and North Bournemouth areas following reports of ASB, the Force invested in the use of SmartTag forensic spray, which was rolled out in March 2025.
The spray provides a unique forensic code, which can be sprayed on a rider to improve evidential opportunities to prosecute individuals, with use of the spray set to be extended into other areas of the conurbation and the wider Dorset area.
The Force is also sharing the initiative and learning with seven other forces as well as Bournemouth University as part of an evidence-led study, with offence data also being shared with local partners so officers can continue to build an intelligence picture of what is happening in communities across the county to respond effectively.
Inspector Nick Lee, of the Poole Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), led the roll out of the forensic spray initiative. He said: “The impact of the antisocial 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.
“I would like to reiterate that if you are caught riding one of these vehicles illegally, it will be seized, crushed and recycled. Their unlawful use in public areas puts pedestrians and other road users at risk.
“While some individuals use these vehicles to assist in committing criminal offences, we acknowledge that there are some people who are oblivious to the law regarding their use, including delivery drivers, commuters and young people.
“We would urge the public to please make the necessary checks before purchasing one of these vehicles to make sure they are compliant with the law.
“We have been working hard to educate the public about this initiative and the impact of e-scooter ASB with an educational video on TikTok reaching around 10 million people, with 40 per cent of the audience under the age of 24.
“If you suspect anyone is using an illegally adapted electric vehicle, please report it to us – if we don’t know about it, we can’t tackle it. You can contact us via our website or by calling 101. If a crime is in progress or there is danger to life, always call 999.”
Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, David Sidwick, said: “The reckless and illegal use of e-bikes and e-scooters can have a real and lasting impact on people’s quality of life, making neighbourhoods feel unsafe and putting pedestrians at risk.
“I fully support Dorset Police’s robust approach to tackling this behaviour and their innovative use of technology to strengthen enforcement. These results demonstrate a clear commitment to listening to community concerns, taking decisive action against anti-social behaviour and ensuring Dorset remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Further advice and information about the use of electric bikes and electric scooters can be found at: www.dorset.police.uk/escooter
