An electric scooter or e-bike is expensive, easy to sell on and often light enough to carry off. No single measure stops every thief, but the right lock, good habits and a recorded frame number make your vehicle a harder target – and easier to get back.
Protecting your electric scooter from theft: what works?
- Lock it to something fixed. Run a sturdy lock – a U-lock, chain lock or folding lock – through the frame and around an object that cannot be moved. A lock that only blocks a wheel won't stop someone lifting the vehicle away.
- Use a rated lock – and ideally a second one. Don't rely on a thin cable lock or on the lock that came with the vehicle.
- Alarms and trackers add to the lock. An alarm draws attention and a tracker can show where the vehicle is. Neither of them locks anything.
- Park smart: indoors or in a locked room at night, otherwise in a well-lit spot where people pass by. Take the e-bike battery with you – if you are only away for a short while, at least lock it.
- Write down the frame number, keep the receipt and mark the vehicle.
- If it is stolen: call 112 if the theft is happening now, otherwise report it to the police with the frame number. Don't try to recover the vehicle yourself.
Locks: the basis of theft protection
Police advice in Germany and Sweden points the same way: use a sturdy, tested lock instead of relying only on the lock supplied with the vehicle, and lock the vehicle to something fixed, such as a lamp post.
A survey by SSF, the Swedish theft prevention association, found that the risk of having a bike stolen is three times higher when it is locked only with its factory-fitted lock than when it is locked to a fixed object with an extra lock.
Different lock types do different jobs:
| Lock type | Best for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| U-lock (D-lock) | Longer stops, at a rack or post | Pick a size that fits tightly around the frame and the anchor. |
| Chain lock | Longer stops, around posts and railings | A thick, hardened chain is hard to cut but heavier to carry. |
| Folding lock | Commuting – easy to carry | Check that it reaches around the frame and the object. |
| Cable lock | Second lock, or short stops within sight | Easier to cut than a chain or U-lock – use it as an extra. |
| Disc brake lock and handlebar lock | As a second lock, or very short stops within sight | Stops the vehicle being rolled away, but it can still be lifted. |
How to choose a lock for your model is covered on our page of electric scooter locks, where you will find U-locks, chain locks, folding locks and disc brake locks, among others.
Lock ratings in Europe
There is a European test standard for bicycle locks, EN 15496. In addition, independent testing bodies in several countries rate locks, for example:
- Sold Secure (UK) rates bicycle locks Bronze, Silver, Gold or Diamond. For e-bikes it recommends its separate Powered Cycle rating, which also covers mopeds and motorcycles, with the grades Gold and Diamond. Its top bicycle grade, Pedal Cycle Diamond, equals Powered Cycle Gold. Sold Secure does not list a separate rating for electric kick scooters.
- ART (the Netherlands) gives locks one to five stars – the more stars, the better the protection. According to Stichting ART, two stars is the level for bicycles, and three stars for bicycles with a high theft risk and for mopeds.
- FUB (France), the French cyclists' federation, tests locks and awards a "1 roue" or "2 roues" level. The 2 roues level stands up to more aggressive tools.
- SSF (Sweden) sets the standard SSF 011, which explicitly covers locks for bicycles, e-bikes and electric scooters. Locks are certified against it by certification bodies such as SBSC.
Unless the product description says that a lock is certified, don't assume it is.
If a cable lock comes with your vehicle, use it as a second lock. Swedish police, for example, advise against settling for the lock that comes with the bike and recommend adding an approved lock.
If your e-bike is classed as a moped – a speed pedelec, for example – look for a lock rated for mopeds or motorcycles rather than for bicycles. Whether an e-bike counts as a moped depends on its design and on national rules, as our guide to e-bike laws in Europe explains.
Which lock your insurer requires for a full payout is set out in the policy terms. We cover this in our guide to electric scooter insurance in Europe.
Lock through the frame
- Lock through the frame, ideally near the folding joint of the stem, to something that is firmly fixed – a lamp post or a bolted-down bike rack, for example. Don't lock only around the stem. It is often held by a folding joint or screws, so the lock may come off without being broken.
- Lock the wheel too, with the same lock or a second one. SSF advises locking both the frame and a wheel to a fixed object.
- Always lock, even for short stops. As Swedish police put it, a locked bike is much harder to steal than an unlocked one.
- Use the lock function in the app if your electric scooter has one, but treat it as an extra. It won't stop anyone carrying the vehicle away.
Alarms and trackers: useful extras, not a lock
Alarms
An alarm with a motion sensor sounds when someone moves the vehicle and draws attention to it. It can scare off an opportunist thief, but it doesn't lock anything – and an alarm with a flat battery stays silent.
Use the alarm together with a lock, keep it charged and test the sensitivity at home. There are also disc brake locks with a built-in alarm. See our alarms for electric scooters and e-bikes.
AirTag and other Find My trackers
An AirTag has no GPS of its own. It sends a Bluetooth signal that nearby Apple devices in the Find My network pick up and pass on, so you can see its location in the Find My app. That is why it works best where lots of people pass by.
Hide the tracker well, for example in an AirTag holder under the saddle or in a case on the electric scooter.
Be aware of the limitation. AirTag is designed to discourage unwanted tracking: someone travelling with an AirTag that belongs to someone else can get an alert on their iPhone or Android phone. An AirTag that has been separated from its owner for a while also plays a sound when it is moved.
So a thief may discover the tracker and remove it. Even so, it can improve your chances of finding the vehicle again. Treat it as an addition to the lock, not as theft protection in itself.
GPS trackers with a SIM card
A GPS tracker with a SIM card sends its position itself over the mobile network, even where there are no phones nearby. It usually needs a subscription and power, either from its own battery or from the vehicle's.
Some electric scooters and e-bikes have tracking or an alarm built into their app. Your manual tells you what your model has.
Mind privacy: only use a tracker on your own property. If someone borrows the vehicle, tell them it has a tracker, and never use it to keep tabs on a person.
Parking and habits
- Indoors at night. Keep the electric scooter or e-bike in your home, a locked storeroom or a locked bike room – and lock it there too.
- Well lit and in view. Where people can see the vehicle, a theft attempt is more likely to be noticed and the thief scared off.
- Take the battery with you. SSF advises taking the battery with you and at least locking it if you are only away for a short while. German police advise taking an e-bike's battery and display with you or securing them with an additional reliable lock.
- A built-in battery needs a good lock. According to SSF, e-bike batteries are among the bike parts stolen most often. On many electric scooters the battery is built into the frame, which makes the lock even more important.
- Take the display with you if it comes off, along with loose parts such as a basket or light.
- Change the default code on combination locks and keep the spare key at home, not in the bag on the vehicle.
- Parking under cover also protects the electronics from rain and damp. Read more about riding an electric scooter in the rain.
Marking and frame number
When you report a theft, the police will ask for the frame number or other marking. Without it, a recovered vehicle is hard to link to you.
- Write down the frame or serial number. Your manual shows where the manufacturer has put it. If it doesn't say, look for a number stamped into the frame.
- Take photos of the number, the whole vehicle and any distinguishing features, and keep them with the receipt on your phone or in the cloud.
- Mark the vehicle, for example with a code engraved in the frame. According to Swedish police, marking makes a stolen bike harder for the thief to sell and easier for the police to identify.
Examples of national rules
Some countries have official marking or registration systems. Check what applies where you live. A few examples:
- France: most bicycles and e-bikes sold by a retailer must carry an identifier that links them to the owner; for electric scooters it is optional. If an identified bike is stolen, the owner must tell the approved marking operator within two weeks.
- Spain: to be ridden, an electric scooter (VMP) must be registered with the traffic authority DGT and carry its identification label.
- Italy: electric scooters used on the road need a contrassegno, an identification sticker. It is issued to the owner personally and cannot be moved to another scooter once fitted. After a theft, report it to the police and ask for the contrassegno to be cancelled, quoting the report's number and date.
- Germany: the police recommend an individual code engraved in the frame and a bicycle passport (Fahrradpass), which can also be used to record an electric scooter.
If your electric scooter is stolen
- Theft happening now? Call 112. It is the emergency number everywhere in the EU, and the call is free.
- Report it to the police as soon as possible. Have the frame number, make, model and colour ready, and say whether the vehicle was locked. In some countries you can report online – in France, for example, on the official Ma Sécurité complaint site, which has the form in English.
- Update any register. If your vehicle is marked or registered, follow the national rules – see the examples above.
- If you have a tracker, give the police its position. Don't go there yourself. If you find the vehicle later, contact the police before you take it back.
- Contact your insurer after reporting to the police, with the report number, the receipt and the frame number. What your policy may pay for is explained in our guide to insurance after a theft.
- Change codes and passwords if the lock had a code or the vehicle was linked to an account in an app.
If you need a copy of your receipt or order confirmation, contact our customer service.
FAQ: protecting your electric scooter from theft
How do I protect my electric scooter from theft?
Lock it through the frame to a fixed object with a sturdy, ideally rated lock, and add a second lock if you can. Park indoors at night, otherwise in a well-lit place where people can see it. Write down the frame number and mark the vehicle. Alarms and trackers are useful extras but don't replace the lock.
Does an AirTag work as theft protection?
It won't prevent a theft, but it can help you find the vehicle again. Someone travelling with another person's AirTag can get an alert on their phone, and after a while it plays a sound when it is moved – so a thief may find it. Hide it well and use it together with a lock.
Should I take the battery off my e-bike?
Yes, if it comes off. SSF, the Swedish theft prevention association, advises taking the battery with you and at least locking it if you are only away for a short while. German police advise taking it with you or securing it with an additional reliable lock. The battery is an expensive part and among the parts stolen most often.
Where do I find the frame number on my electric scooter?
Check the manual – it shows where the manufacturer has put the frame or serial number. If it doesn't say, look for a number stamped into the frame. Photograph the number and keep the photo with your receipt.
What should I do if my electric scooter is stolen?
Call 112 if the theft is happening now. Otherwise, report it to the police with the frame number and a description of the vehicle, and update any national register it is listed in. Give the police the tracker's position rather than recovering the vehicle yourself, then contact your insurer.
