Telford teen's TikTok videos of 'reckless' illegal riding help police track him down and destroy e-scooter
Police were able to identify the boy thanks to videos he had posted himself
A 13-year-old who posted videos on TikTok of himself riding an e-scooter dangerously in Telford has been arrested and had his vehicle destroyed by police.
West Mercia Police officers were able to identify the boy from his posts on TikTok, which showed himself riding at speed on roads and footpaths.
On Sunday (August 30) he was arrested on suspicion of careless driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance. The e-scooter was also seized and has since been destroyed.
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Officers referred the boy to the youth offending team and he will now have to take part in a course relevant to the offences.
PC George Oliver said: "The videos posted online showed a complete disregard, and reckless behaviour that put him and members of the public at risk. Following enquiries, officers were able to identify the teenager, seize the e-scooter and take appropriate action.
"We hope this serves as a reminder to parents and young people that e-scooters cannot be ridden legally on public roads, pavements or cycle lanes unless they are part of an authorised rental scheme.
"We will continue to take action against anyone using e-scooters irresponsibly and would encourage anyone who witnesses dangerous riding to report it to us."
Last month police seized a total of 22 e-scooters across Telford, including this one, as they cracked down on the illegal use of the vehicles.
While e-scooters are available to buy, they are currently illegal to use on public roads, pavements, cycle lanes and pedestrian-only areas unless they are part of an approved rental scheme. There are currently no legal e-scooter rental schemes in Shropshire.
Police warned that anyone found riding a privately owned e-scooter in public places risks having it seized.