Police arrest 84 in electric mobility device crackdown
Police have arrested 84 people in a three-day operation targeting the illegal use of electric mobility devices in northern New Territories. The suspects, aged between 17 and 76, were nabbed on suspicion of various offences, such as driving an unregistered vehicle, driving without a licence, and using a vehicle without third-party insurance. All of them have been released on bail. Officers also seized 69 electric bikes and 15 e-scooters. Around one-third of them were allegedly used for food delivery. Acting chief inspector Ngai Siu-cheong also noted that the battery-propelled devices were commonly used by parents with young children. "We found that many parents would use these electric mobility devices to drop off or pick up their children from school and for daily commute. Some even modified their electric bikes by adding more seats. In some cases, the parents would carry two to three kids on one bicycle," Ngai said. He also said the speed of such powered devices could reach up to 50 kilometres per hour. Many arrested parents did not have a valid driving licence either, meaning they could not properly follow the signs and rules, endangering other road users.