Police are stepping up patrols during the September school holidays to target illegal and dangerous use of e-scooters and e-bikes.
Under the ongoing Operation Raptor Wheelie, police will increase high-visibility and covert patrols due to an expected high volume of traffic and an increase in offending on e-bikes and e-scooters around Maroochydore.
Since the operation began in July, police have taken strong education and enforcement action focused on reducing road trauma and increasing the safety to e-scooter and e-bike riders, and the community around them.
On July 10, police were patrolling the area between Amberjack Street and Blue Finn Circuit in Mountain Creek after reports of an e-bike riding in parks.
Police intercepted a Zyloyty H9 e-bike, which was classified as a motorbike due to its wattage, allegedly being ridden by a 15-year-old Mountain Creek boy.
The boy was dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
About 10pm on August 23, police detected a 15-year-old Buderim boy allegedly riding dangerously along Mooloolaba Esplanade in Mooloolaba on a heavily modified mountain bike with more than 3000 watts of power.
Police will allege the boy was riding at speed towards oncoming traffic, before he was intercepted by police on the footpath.
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The bike was seized and the boy was charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle, driving of motor vehicle without a driver licence, vehicles used on roads must be registered, drive uninsured vehicle and light vehicle must not be driven or parked on a road if defective.
He has been dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
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Maroochydore officer-in-charge Acting Senior Sergeant Jacob Flaherty said the community should expect to see police anywhere at any time.
“In addition to proactive high-visibility patrols, we also have officers in plain clothes tasked to areas that we know young people gather on school holidays,” he said.
“Our goal through this operation is to educate riders about their responsibilities when riding an e-scooter or e-bike.
“However, we will take action if you are found to be driving a vehicle illegally, or in a way that risks serious injury or death to yourself or someone else in the community.”
