Two more e-bikes were recently reported stolen, the police said, though it was not clear if the thefts were related to the 22 others.

The number of e-bikes stolen in the city is probably higher than the police’s official count. In a study of 153 delivery workers by Do Jun Lee, an assistant professor of urban studies at Queens College, 37 percent of the workers said they had been robbed on the job. Of those, 59 percent said they never reported the theft to the authorities.

“They would often say, ‘When I have done it in the past, nothing ever happened, so why bother?’” Professor Lee said.

The context

With the rise of food delivery apps, workers carry less cash, which, presumably, would make them less of a target.

But to meet the growing demands of their jobs, many rely on battery-powered bikes, which enable riders to go uphill and across long distances with more ease. The advantages don’t come cheap. E-bikes can cost up to $2,000 each.

The workers say the bikes are a necessity, but they are not legal on city streets. And in December, Governor Cuomo vetoed legislation to legalize battery-powered bikes and scooters, saying the bill lacked safety measures.

In 2019, the New York City police issued 1,123 summonses for operating such vehicles. They were unable to provide the number of bike or scooter seizures.