Police mentioned teenagers are behind the spike, committing larceny, automobile break-ins and shootings.
ATLANTA — The City of Atlanta is working to curb crimes dedicated involving e-scooters. City Council already has plans within the works to cap the variety of scooters within the metropolis, and enact extra age and time restrictions on utilization.
Atlanta Police have been monitoring a rise in ridership since 2021 and a corresponding improve in crimes involving scooters.
That uptick is posing new challenges for police whereas imposing the legislation, in line with APD Deputy Chief Prenzinna Spann.
“It’s easy access,” Spann said. “You can get around the city fairly well on them. The range of motion they can go, they’re 15 miles per hour. You can ride them through the street, through the sidewalk, alleys, different areas not normally traveled by a vehicle.”
Spann mentioned she’s seen teenagers main the spike in crime on scooters. She famous they’re committing automobile break-ins, thefts, even shootings like over the weekend close to Centennial Olympic Park.
The City of Atlanta has contracts on the books with three e-scooter suppliers: Bird, Lime and Spin. Law enforcement, the town council, and the division of transportation all work with the businesses to make sure rider security.
“We can contact them and subpoena information from the various scooter companies to find out who these particular individuals are that consistently plague the city by riding these scooters in and out of certain areas,” Spann mentioned.
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Atlanta metropolis councilman Antonio Lewis, who represents District 12, mentioned there have been plans to attract up laws that may cap the variety of scooters that could possibly be in Atlanta, put an age restriction in place on who may trip scooters and additional prohibit occasions at which scooters could possibly be ridden.
“It’s our job to be watchdogs on this. We’re basically renewing legislation that was put out three years ago that was about to expire,” Lewis said. “The only power we have as city council since I’ve gotten here, I noticed, is our paper and our microphone. We have to use it. We need more accountability by the companies. We need them to come talk to us.”
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Vickey Beard, who’s visiting from Knoxville desires to see extra signage. She would not see the potential of crime as a deterrent in using scooters.
“I think with anything, people are going to abuse it to their own benefit,” Beard said. “Everything we do in life is a risk, so you just need to use your own good sense.”
Logan Barfield works at a CBD store close to Piedmont Park. He’s seen the thrill ramp up for scooters, put on down in the course of the pandemic after which spike once more.
“Some people took the scooters too far and definitely gave it a bad reputation,” Barfield mentioned. “Parking is one of the biggest things for sure. If you leave them in front of the shop, they’re annoying especially for us. But if there are designated drop-offs, I get it.”
Atlanta Police mentioned a number of folks have been even hacking into scooters and using them without spending a dime. Police mentioned they’d proceed to work with the native authorities to search for extra enhancements in scooter guidelines and rules to maintain riders protected.
For extra info on scooters and guidelines to know for using them in Atlanta, click on right here.