Teenagers arrested for buying stolen electric scooters

Several Jewish teenagers from Crown Heights were arrested by the New York Police Department for driving stolen mopeds. The boys had bought them on eBay and were unaware of their status. Full story

By COLlive Reporter

As COLlive learned, several Jewish youths from the Crown Heights neighborhood were arrested in recent weeks for driving previously stolen mopeds.

Police officers in downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg have stopped electric scooter riders and checked their vehicle identification number (VIN).

It turned out that the mopeds used by the Lubavitcher youths had previously been stolen. The police therefore arrested the boys and issued them with summonses.

All of the boys had recently purchased the mopeds on eBay and were shocked to learn that the scooters were stolen. They hope that the charges will later be dropped.

“It's not a good idea to buy a moped on eBay,” a police source told COLlive.com. “If you decide to buy any type of motorized scooter, bike, ATV or all-terrain vehicle on eBay, be very careful. Make sure the seller has the original bill of sale and the correct vehicle title, just like with a car. The seller must prove that they are the true owner of the scooter.

The official recommended caution when buying a scooter or moped online. “If an offer seems too good to be true, it most likely is,” he said.