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SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake police are investigating a rash of electric scooter thefts.
Investigators say two former employees of Spin scooters have been stealing scooters throughout the city, reprogramming them and then selling them for well below market value. As of Wednesday, no criminal charges have been filed in the case.
The number of scooters stolen is believed to be about 60. But police say the investigation is ongoing and, as more evidence is uncovered, detectives expect the number of scooters suspected to have been taken by the duo to be much higher and thefts could extend outside of Salt Lake City.
"Spin scooters has had a significant increase in scooter thefts in the area of Salt Lake City starting from July through to September ... and they have confirmed the suspect(s) involved have found a way to bypass the software allowing the GPS to be disconnected," says one of several search warrant affidavits tied to the investigation.
After stealing the scooters, the duo "then reprogram these scooters and sell them for $100 to $150 dollars each using an app that allows the system to activate the scooters they sold," according to another warrant.
Each scooter is worth approximately $1,200, according to police.
When the scooters go "offline," it usually means that scooter has been damaged or stolen and the company is automatically notified. In one night in September, 14 scooters suddenly went offline, an affidavit states. Another warrant says nine scooters that had gone offline were recovered in the Fairpark neighborhood.
According to witnesses who purchased stolen scooters, the men provided the buyers with an app that allowed them to "unlock" their scooters after purchasing.
Police say the two former employees had a booth at the Utah State Fair this year, allegedly for selling sheds. But they also had stolen scooters with them to offer to people, an affidavit alleges.
Salt Lake police said Wednesday the case is a good reminder that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. And while a buyer typically won't face criminal charges, they could have their stolen scooter seized and the likelihood of getting their $100 purchase cost refunded is very low.
Anyone who believes they may have purchased a stolen electric scooter is asked to call police at 801-799-3000.
