No, because if a scooter is just left lying around on the street it is abandoned property and so generally there is no law against taking it.
Which is the same problem that Bird is facing--in cities where they aren't actually permitted by the appropriate authority (city, county, etc.), Birds are abandoned property. In cities where they have been granted a permit to conduct business activities, the question is more nebulous, but thus far DAs are decisively on the side of not treating it as a crime.
I'm not so sure scooters with GPS tracking and contractors looking for them would be considered abandoned in the eyes of the law, even if they have been left in an unpermitted location.
Usually after a certain time frame, for example 3 days in LA, the car is considered abandoned. Fortunately my neighbors don’t dime me for those weeks I stay in code rushing.
I don't live in LA, but surely that doesn't make the car publicly available for taking. It would be impounded or something, with the owner having to pay to retrieve it.
Which is the same problem that Bird is facing--in cities where they aren't actually permitted by the appropriate authority (city, county, etc.), Birds are abandoned property. In cities where they have been granted a permit to conduct business activities, the question is more nebulous, but thus far DAs are decisively on the side of not treating it as a crime.