More than 100 e-scooters and electric bikes have been destroyed in a crusher as part of Hampshire Police’s aggressive new stance against illegal two-wheeled menaces in Southampton and Hampshire.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has seized and destroyed 105 vehicles in 2024 – more than double the previous year’s tally of 41. The crackdown, dubbed ‘Operation Crush’, has particularly targeted vehicles linked to drug gangs and dangerous driving.
“We’re hitting criminals where it hurts – in their pockets,” says Police Sergeant Jamie Dobson of the Roads Policing Unit. “Some of these machines cost thousands of pounds, and now they’re nothing but scrap metal.”
The operation has revealed a darker side to the e-mobility trend, with officers discovering knives and drugs alongside seized vehicles. Of particular concern were modified e-bikes capable of reaching motorway speeds, with some even being ridden on the M3 and A27.
Police Commissioner Donna Jones, who spearheaded the initiative, pulls no punches: “My message is absolutely clear – if you choose to operate an e-scooter illegally, you will face the consequences,” she says. The tough stance comes after a public consultation revealed that over 55% of 10,362 respondents demanded stronger action against illegal e-scooters.
The seizures paint a concerning picture of the region’s e-vehicle problem. More than 50 of the crushed vehicles were e-scooters, many involved in crashes or being ridden by individuals under the influence. While privately-owned e-scooters remain illegal on UK roads, police are focusing their efforts on those linked to criminal activity and anti-social behaviour.
Perhaps most alarming was the discovery of 26 modified e-bicycles – technically known as Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPCs). While these vehicles are typically legal, the seized examples had been dangerously altered to achieve excessive speeds.
The crackdown forms part of Jones’s new ‘More Police, Safer Streets 2’ initiative, responding to growing public concern about e-scooter safety. “I have seen a number of dangerous collisions, particularly on pavements, which have resulted in people suffering significant injuries, some of them life-changing,” she adds.
For Hampshire’s criminal gangs, who increasingly relied on these vehicles for drug distribution and other illegal activities, Operation Crush represents an expensive lesson. Each seized vehicle is now permanently out of commission, with no chance of returning to the streets.
Sgt Dobson emphasises that the campaign specifically targets criminal behaviour rather than legitimate users: “This tougher stance is helping us keep our roads safer, as these vehicles are often used dangerously, potentially putting lives at risk.”
As the crusher continues its work, the message from Hampshire Police is clear: illegal e-vehicle users face not just prosecution, but the destruction of their often costly machines. For a force determined to stamp out this growing menace, it’s a price they’re more than willing to pay.
