With the growing popularity of electric scooters and the yen of many to have one of their own, some resort to underhanded means, or stealing.
If there will be times and unexpected situations where you need to park your Mearth RS Pro lightweight, foldable, compact e-scooter outside, be forewarned. Apply utmost care and caution to keep it secure.
Not to alarm the reader who happens to own an electric scooter, but there are times when, despite the most diligent and watchful attention given, one’s precious electric scooter could be stealthily stolen — right under one’s nose.
What to do to avoid it? Simple. Make it difficult to impossible for those ‘resourceful’ rogues to get away with their devious intentions, and possibly catch them before they flee.
Here are practical tips to prevent your scooter from being stolen:
If your electric scooter is foldable, you can take it inside with you, anywhere you go, and it’ll be less of a target for theft. In itself, it’s an excellent means of prevention.
Avoid high-risk places in case you decide on a place to lock your electric scooter. Scout the area. Is there anyone around? If the area is empty or there’s no one, these petty thieves will have more time to break your lock, doing it as loudly as they can.
Is the place dim or are there no lights around? Burglars can work quietly for an extended time to break your lock. And if you’ve got the best electric scooter, chances are, when you park with less known or cheaper e-scooters, these thieves will target yours, once the opportunity crops up.
The safest place to lock your electric scooter in the meantime is around a pole or bike rack in a well-lit and well-populated area. Never attempt to park your e-scooter outside overnight. It’s too risky.
If you don’t want to worry too much as to how you can prevent robbers from stealing your electric scooter in the future, never use cheap locks or cables and chains, even if they are flexible and light, as they are easy to break or cut. It’s the same with a disc lock as it can be easily picked by an experienced crook. App locking does not work either.
Lock, stock, and bar ‘em in.
Go for the most secure traditional type of lock for scooters: a D-Lock or U-Lock. Almost all of the ‘Sold Secure Gold’ ratings are held by this type of lock. A D-Lock is a hardened steel shackle that can be attached to the scooter and is a sturdy object. Use a U-lock as it is more secure.
Mearth recommends thumbs up, this surefire and dependable security device that assuredly foils even a well-planned snitching. There are electronic theft deterrents available too, and used together with the U-lock, they double the electric scooters’ protection against scooter bandits. Make sure to lock the frame of the scooter too, and not just the wheel. Thieves are devious – they can unscrew wheels and steal the rest of the scooter.
A high-quality U-lock is ideal and is appropriately sized for your Mearth RS Pro electric scooter. They are named U-locks because of their shape, which consists of a U-shaped shackle that locks into a straight crossbar.
Made from hardened steel and heavy-duty, the U-Locks are undoubtedly top-quality, weighing about 2kg. They have a thick shackle and crossbar and can resist power tools.
U-locks, come in a variety of sizes. Some have longer shackles to make them easier to lock your scooter to harder-to-reach objects. You can also opt for the shortest shackles that will fit your e-scooter; they are doubly secure nonetheless.
Ask for a thick Kryptonite New York U-Lock with cable-style lock from a highly reputable lock maker.
Using a U-lock with cable improves the cable lock design by having a miniature U-lock at the weakest point for increased protection. A strong cable gives double security to a U-lock. These require either very tough bolt cutters or power tools to detach. Attempting to dislodge the U-Lock or D-Lock will leave ‘em rascals frustrated and empty-handed.
How to carry your E-scooter lock around
You can carry it with a bag or backpack placed onto your scooter, or put the U-lock over the handlebars or belt loop. Some U-locks come with a mount that can fit on the stem of your scooter, providing a spot to put your lock. Another option would be to get special lock holders for your scooter. Even if the lock is a little heavy and expensive, invest in a suitable bag or accessory to carry it around. It’s worth it.
The cost of security and your peace of mind.
Budget about 5 percent (this is an estimate) of the cost of the shooter on a lock.
Now, having presented the do’s and don’ts of how to prevent people from stealing your electric scooter, remember the no-nonsense ‘golden rules of security. Make sure to buy a lock that works for you.