by Alix Bryan

Sales at local scooter shop Scoot Richmond have more than doubled recently. Crime has also increased, and scooter theft is on the rise. The wave of theft calls for extra precautions. Changes in state policy may also help owners protect their investment.

It is Saturday at local scooter shop Scoot Richmond. Marc Davis sits on his new 49cc Sym Fiddle, a scooter with a top speed of 35 mph that is best designed for urban transport. Davis’s mom grins proudly and claims that, “cars are a loosing proposition because scooters are more affordable.”

Although he is aware of the safety risks and the potential for theft, Davis said that he chose his scooter because he did not want to get his motorcycle license, required for any scooter over 49cc’s, and that a scooter will give him more freedom.

“No more waiting on the bus, which has passed me by before,” he said.

Davis is not alone. Many locals have chosen scooters as their primary transport, according to Chelsea Lahmers, owner of Scoot Richmond.

“Last year I sold more scooters in one month than I had the whole year before,” she said.

One of Lahmers big sellers is the Genuine Buddy scooter. Philip McCaleb, the president of Genuine Scooter Company, based out of Chicago, Ill. said that his company sales were up 130% in 2008, from 2007.

Theft on the rise

“Here in Richmond, VA, we are in the middle of what even the police are calling an epidemic of theft,” said Lahmers.

Scooter theft has become more prevalent now that there are more scooters on the road. Spenser Dean, a Richmond City Police officer for three years, said that theft has, “doubled or tripled in the past year.” Dean notes that the classification of scooters by police makes it difficult to present hard data on the crime statistics, but that scooter thefts used to be rare.

“It is hard to recover scooters that don’t have VIN numbers,” said Dean.

In many cases the police don’t know what they are looking for or what the procedure is when it comes to scooters.

“The appearance of hundreds of new scooterists on the road prompted the police to hold a training to refresh themselves about the laws, ” said Dean.

Lahmers also confirmed that the Richmond Police are more aware of the situation now than a year ago. Lahmers is in regular communication with a local detective.

“He put together a presentation last fall which gave the guys on the beat a lot better chance of identifying a stolen scooter, ” she said.

State law makes it difficult to track thefts

“If you see a car without a license plate, something funny is going on, no matter what state you live in,” said Lahmers.

Dean and Lahmers both agree that all scooters should be required to have tags and title, at minimum. Other states require all class scooters to be registered and insured. McCaleb, who got into the scooter business 20 years ago, thinks that anything with a motor should require a title, plates, and insurance.

“In my opinion, all states should require people to be registered and insured…a level playing field and a way to exact standards from manufacturers and dealers who’d be tempted to sell junk to anyone with cash,” said McCaleb.

Lahmers said that 49cc class scooter is appealing to buyers because it is not required by law to be insured, inspected or titled, nor does the operator need a motorcycle license.

“It is legal to ride a 49cc scooter even if you have had your drivers license revoked due to a DUI, causing 50cc scooters to be fondly known as ‘liquorcicles’, she said.

“Thieves also know they are less likely to get pulled over on a 49cc, because no licenses or plates are required,” said Dean.

A title alone does not mean the police can recover a scooter as easily as a car. Lahmers noted that several factors make recovery difficult.

“Police don’t even know what they are looking for and sometimes the VIN number is written down incorrectly,” said Lahmers.

Tips to protect the investment
“I’ve seen several cable locks of varying sizes get seriously manhandled and cut through of late, but we still haven’t seen any of the big chain link Onguard or Krypto locks get cut,” said Lahmers.

She also noted that it is important to lock the vehicle correctly.

“Do not lock through or around the front wheel rim, that tire can be removed, ” she said.

Robert Latch said he originally purchased his 49cc scooter because, “I like not having tags,” he said. Now he concedes, after two theft attempts on his bike, that titling and registration would be worth a slight fee.

Motorcycles are much harder for a thief to steal, but “all it takes to steal a scooter is a truck and two men”, said Dean.

There are numerous deterrents and locks on the market, like the Xena disc lock or a heavy Kryptonite lock. Locks can be purchased at Scoot Richmond and cost anywhere from $35 to $90. Lahmers suggests using the two together for extra security.

Dean recommends parking in places near a camera security system or in a location where it is harder for a thief to access the scooter.

“Don’t pull into a space where a truck can pull up in front of you and load the scooter right into the truck bed,” he said.

“Do not park locked to a parking meter or other not tall solid object because two men can generally muster the strength to lift a wee scooter up high enough to clear something like that,” said Lahmers.

Scoot Richmond is one of the only shops to title the 49cc’s, in effort to help police track the original owner if the scooter is stolen. The law does not require them to do so. The shop maintains a blog that lists numerous tips to help prevent theft.