FOI 0304-2025/26- Seized e-bikes

Request:

Q1. The number of illegal / non-compliant e-bikes that have been seized by your police force in each of the past five calendar years?

Please also include:

• A breakdown by year, please include: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.

Q2. The number of reported incidents of phone snatching or muggings in which an illegal or non-compliant e-bike was used as part of the offence, recorded over the past five calendar years.

Please also include:

• A yearly breakdown of such incidents, please include: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.

Q3. The number of fines and/or arrests made in connection with the use, possession, or operation of illegal e-bikes over the past five calendar years?

Please also provide:

• A yearly breakdown of the number of fines and arrests, please include: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.

Response: 

Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police. 

I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police. 

Decision

The information you have requested is published on the North Yorkshire Police website under the following link:

FOI 0416-2024/25- E-bike confiscations | North Yorkshire Police

I have therefore decided to exempt providing you with a response to question 1, 2 & 3 pursuant to Section 21 Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act).

Section 17 of the Act requires North Yorkshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

Section 21 – Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means

Section 21 is an absolute class based exemption and I am not required to consider the harm or public interest when applying this exemption.

Pursuant to Section 17(1) of the Act this letter acts as a Refusal Notice in response to your request.

Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.