Copper Wire-Stripping Thieves Who Target EV Chargers Are a Threat to EV Adoption

Copper wire thefts have increased in Los Angeles and other cities, but with thieves looking outside of street lights for cables to cut, drivers expecting to use EV chargers are sometimes caught off-guard.

But for the person trying to steal copper from the station, the crime is a dangerous proposition. Given the high voltage charging units use, and not a lot of money from scrap buyers, it’s only questionably worth the effort. For those trying to stop this scourge, a focus on the economics involved could potentially produce a solution.

With a significant number of the cut cables and smashed charging units being harvested for copper wire now, companies, governments and EV advocates are proposing everything from greater enforcement and penalties to cables that cover a vandal with ink—similar