Moped thefts up in Charlottesville

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: September 18, 2008

Moped sales have been brisk at Moto Virginia Vespa Charlottesville since the summer, said Priscilla Wilson.

Wilson, whose son owns the business on Preston Avenue, said high gas prices have prompted many young professionals and University of Virginia professors and graduate students to leave their SUVs in the driveways in place of mopeds, which can get 60 to 100 miles per gallon.

But there is a negative side to the rising sales: moped theft
Since January there have been 96 city cases involving mopeds, said Charlottesville police Sgt. Marc Brake. Because police records don’t always specify what happened in every case, he could say for certain only that 35 of those incidents involved thefts, but he believes the number is much higher.

There have been 11 moped thefts in the city since Aug. 15.
Brake said some steal the mopeds for joy rides, while others take parts or sell the mopeds outright.
He said officers have been focusing more on moped thefts and have made arrests. He added that they plan some new initiatives to stem the rising moped thefts, but didn’t want to elaborate.

Mostly, moped owners can use “common sense” to avoid having their ride stolen, Brake said.
Secure the mopeds, he said, and don’t leave the keys in the ignition.