Jump to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleNeil LancefieldMonday 17 August 2026 07:33 BSTMet Police deploys e-bikes, drones and live facial recognition to catch phone thievesConfiscations of illegal e-bikes by UK police forces have increased by 83 per cent in a single year, with 7,049 machines seized.The surge has prompted calls from police officers, politicians, and safety charities for updated legislation to ban illegal models and conversion kits.The Metropolitan Police recorded the highest number of seizures at 2,367, with 11 police forces seeing their confiscation numbers more than double.Many confiscated e-bikes are modified to reach speeds over 70mph and are increasingly used to facilitate street crimes including phone thefts and drug dealing.New powers introduced under the Crime and Policing Act 2026 allow officers to immediately seize e-bikes being used anti-socially without issuing a prior warning.In fullRecord number of illegal e-bikes seized across UK as police issue warningMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in