A public electric bike service has been suspended in Inverness service after “relentless vandalism” left just six of its 56 bikes in the city available for use.
Hi-Bike’s Fort William bikes have also been targeted. The cost of recent vandalism to the scheme, which was set up three years ago, runs to £50,000.
In the past few days across Inverness and Fort William, eight of Hi-Bike’s £4,000 bikes have been stolen and about 20 damaged.
British Transport Police said it was investigating damage to bikes at a hub at Inverness Railway Station.
Bikes have been found crashed and broken, while others have been thrown into rivers and the Caledonian Canal.
In Inverness, bikes have been damaged by people attempting to wrenching them out of charging stations.