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Police forces across the United Kingdom have been auctioning off electric motorbikes seized during enforcement actions, despite concerns that some of these vehicles might find their way back into criminal use, according to an investigation by the BBC. Each year, thousands of e-bikes are confiscated primarily due to suspicions of illegal use or involvement in criminal activity. While the majority of these seized vehicles are destroyed, the BBC’s inquiry revealed that some are instead sold through online auctions to the public.
Last year alone, UK police forces sold 161 e-bikes, with an additional 54 sold so far in 2024. However, these figures may not be comprehensive because not all forces responded to the Freedom of Information requests. Among the different police forces that confirmed selling seized e-bikes were larger bodies such as West Midlands Police and Police Scotland. Some police services have since discontinued the practice, though others defend it as a way to generate funds for policing activities. The vehicles sold include a mixture of electrically-assisted pedal cycles (which support pedaling with motor assistance) and fully motor-powered electric motorbikes.
The use of e-bikes has sparked controversy amid reports linking them to criminal and anti-social behavior. Investigations have highlighted instances of groups of youths, often wearing balaclavas, riding illegally on footpaths and causing intimidation in various communities. Tragically, there have been reported fatalities involving illegal e-motorbikes, such as the case of 86-year-old Gloria Stephenson, who was fatally struck at a zebra crossing in Sunderland last year by an unlawful e-bike.
Some police forces detailed their specific procedures regarding these seized vehicles. Police Scotland reported sending e-bikes to an authorized recycler who may hold auctions, with proceeds returned to the police. Last year, Police Scotland auctioned 93 e-bikes, the highest number of any UK force. West Yorkshire Police auctioned two e-bikes last year, distributing the resulting revenue between their force, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and local good causes. West Midlands Police, which sold 12 e-bikes in the same period, said the majority of seized bikes are destroyed, with only a limited number sold via independent auctions to reinvest proceeds into policing.
In addition to e-bikes, some forces have sold electric scooters, even though use of privately-owned e-scooters on public land remains illegal. Durham Constabulary auctioned three e-scooters last year, while West Mercia Police sold one and also auctioned 24 e-bikes. Both Durham and West Mercia have recently revised their policies and intend to cease selling both e-bikes and e-scooters going forward.
Clive Grunshaw, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, expressed concerns about the current approach, emphasizing the limited legal areas where e-scooters can be used and calling the situation confusing. He urged all police forces to stop selling e-bikes, which he described as the “transport of choice for drug gangs” due to the difficulty in catching these vehicles. Grunshaw suspects that some individuals whose vehicles are seized turn to auction sites to reclaim them and warns about criminals purchasing legal e-bikes only to modify them illegally. He notes that while electric pedal bikes are lawfully limited to speeds of 15.5 mph, criminals can install “tuning kits” sourced online—often internationally—that allow speeds exceeding 40 mph.
Following similar concerns, Durham Constabulary announced that all seized e-bikes would now be destroyed without exception after having sold 29 last year. Greater Manchester Police disclosed selling a single e-bike during the same period. Typically, police forces utilize commercial auction websites such as Raw2k to sell these vehicles. Raw2k frequently advertises e-bikes “sold at the direction of police,” including models like a Chinese-manufactured electric dirt bike recently auctioned from Falkirk with a starting bid of £250—far below the £3,295 retail price for a new equivalent
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