Editor's note: Video is from April when e-scooters returned to Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office dive team continued to clear the sea wall of the Willamette River on Wednesday, which included collecting even more scooters and bicycles that were thrown into the river.
On Tuesday, the sheriff's office said nine scooters were found in the river and estimated about 20 total would be recovered.
That number ended up being a conservative estimate. On Wednesday, the sheriff's office said a total of 57 scooters and bicycles have been found in the river over the past two days.
There were so many scooters and bikes that divers had to quit early on Wednesday because they needed a bigger boat, the sheriff's office said.
Last year, an Instagram account, which has since been deleted, was dedicated to showcasing the vandalism of e-scooters in Portland. The account showed videos of people throwing scooters off bridges, into the river.
At the time, e-scooters were available as part of a four-month pilot program. Earlier this year, Portland launched a year-long program that could bring as many as 9,000 scooters to Portland streets by January 2020.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation, the city agency overseeing the e-scooter program, said last year that people who damage scooters are subject to property crime laws.
"We take it seriously but from our standpoint, it’s can these scooters be operated safely," a PBOT spokesperson said. "Vandalism is unfortunate."