It should probably be easy to get a new paint job done to make the scooters look like new

A new paint job costs money. It also takes time, and involves more people.
Most thieves are looking for something that they can sell on within hours. Most people who handle stolen goods are looking for an easy onward sale.

If you do a bad paint job, e.g. spray acrylic over enamel, or vise versa, you get crazing. This would require the bike to be fully stripped back before new paint. You can't just spray over the top of the old and get a nice finish. The same is true if you hand paint with a brush, it must be fully prepared.

The people who buy stolen bikes, probably know they are stolen, but they still don't want a crappy looking, or easily identifiable machine.

Hopefully the new registration, and need for original fapio will make it harder to sell on stolen vehicles.

Wish someone would design a customized demountable handlebar. I just take the handlebar with me. :-))

@rejected_goods, i have had the same thought. Wonder how much work would be to take battery out when storing at home and if possible to charge battery in my home.

My friend who uses an ebike in Shanghai takes her battery out from under the seat. It seems to be the most valuable part of the bike which people want to resell. I've seen her take it out without much problem.

Maybe it's different with new ebikes, but the battery in my old ebike weighs a ton. You don't want to be lugging that up 5 floors every day or two.

From all the posts i have read seems like scooters are being stolen from right out in open while people are shopping. Thieves seem to like areas with a lot of scooters to choose from. Have not heard of anyone who has had one stolen from home. At home probably more out of sight and thieves are not cruising neighborhoods.

The key ignition is a stupid system, 2 wires ..... connect them together and the system is on.
The theives cut the wires or pull them off the plug, connect/twist them together and the bike is on..

The solution is to wire a secondary switch further along one of the two ignition wires. Hide the small switch somewhere on your scooter..

Batteries
Weld the battery compartment shut with steel, if / when you need a new battery it's easlliy cut opened and re welded..

If anyone needs the work performed contact me.

What about installing a GPS for your smartphone?

@tallamerican
They certainly are stolen from houses. One friend of mine found his electric bike gone from the courtyard of his building (guards claimed they saw nothing) and another friend had one stolen from the lobby of his flat.

And in contrast to an earlier post, the police were "over-helpful" to the first friend, insisting on them visiting the station more than once, filling in multiple forms and then constantly ringing them up until the friend finally told them to stop calling and forget the theft! Odd.