DODGE, Wis. — A fourth Bird rental e-scooter stolen from the streets of Winona was recovered from the water at the Trempealeau River hamlet of Dodge. Earlier three stolen Birds were found in a shed, also in Dodge. Even if the thief had access to codes to unlock and drive the scooters, Dodge, population 200, doesn’t lend itself to scooters. It’s a place mostly of gravel and dirt side streets and no sidewalks. So why Dodge? Winona Police Chief Tom Williams suspects that somebody has a grudge against the Bird franchise-holder in Winona. Harassment, the chief calls it. Recovering the scooters means 12-mile trip to Dodge to fetch the scooters and then to repair them.
Vanishing scooters. First there were 100 little scooters. around town. Then 99. Then 98. Then 96. This pair is in East Third Street bar district. Image: Steve Lunde.