EV charge point vandalism and theft doubles in 2024
Research has revealed that theft and vandalism targeting EV chargers has more than doubled in 2024 compared to 2023, according to data shared with DeterTech.
The national intelligence portal, that works on behalf of police forces in England and Wales, discovered the findings, and reported that both residential EV chargers and public charging stations were heavily targeted by low level offenders and serious organised gangs alike, particularly in areas like South Yorkshire and the West Midlands.
The company called for the use of deterrents, like its own SmartWater forensic marking technology, in order to ensure charge points across the country were protects and remained safe and accessible for all users.
Gary Higgins, Director of Security and Risk at DeterTech said:
“These hotspots will continue to be targeted by criminals until adequate deterrents are in place. Worryingly, offenders are often found revisiting the same public charging stations to steal replacement cables installed after previous thefts.
“This ongoing cycle of events underscores the importance of disrupting the supply chain and ensuring stolen cables can be easily identified.”
It comes as electric vehicle public rapid charging network InstaVolt has introduced additional security measures following a spate of cables being cut which are leaving chargers unusable and harming critical infrastructure.
CEO Delvin Lane said:
“Although these sites are targeted by organised crime gangs, it’s a misconception that the copper brings real financial gain. The value of any metal stolen is insignificant. The thefts just cause disruption to EV drivers – including those in the emergency services – looking to charge their vehicles.”
In addition, charging network Be.EV has partnered with electric vehicle (EV) charging space specialist Formula Space and Derbyshire Police to crack down on charging cable vandalism in Chesterfield.
The firm also made the move in response to the recent spate of EV charging cable thefts, and has launched its Charging Hub Intelligent Protection initiative (CHIP) to deter future charger vandalism.
Adrian Fielden-Gray, COO of Be.EV, said:
“Cable theft is an absolute nightmare for everyone – especially drivers. It’s completely unacceptable to find a charging cable cut when you’re looking to top up – and for what reason?
“The industry’s number one priority needs to be making sure these criminals never consider vandalising a charging site ever again. We need to come together, and use the full force of the law to crack down on thieves and scrap dealers alike.