While electric vehicles provide numerous advantages, they are not without their challenges. There’s been a worrisome scenario where EV owners beware of charge cable theft. Owners are increasingly concerned as thieves are changing their target from catalytic converters to these valuable cords. Reports of swift thefts are increasing nationwide in the United States, severely affecting the accessibility of electric vehicles and leaving owners exposed.
Just like every other item, thieves are behind these vehicles too. Recently they came for the catalytic converters and now their new target is charging cables. For quite some time, criminals were directing their attention towards the component in your vehicle that transforms engine-exhaust emissions into a more environmentally friendly form.
Thieves can resell catalytic converters due to their high content of precious metals, including platinum, palladium, and rhodium. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, there were over 64,000 incidents of catalytic converter thefts in the United States in 2022, with most cases in Texas and California.
Electric vehicles do not emit exhaust, which means they do not require catalytic converters. In Los Angeles there are reports that electric vehicle owners are increasingly finding that the cables they use to charge their cars are becoming a desirable target for thieves.
Thieves usually sell stolen items on popular resale websites or as scrap metal. They do this because the items, such as copper wiring, are valuable. Despite the fluctuation of copper prices during the pandemic, instances of theft targeting this valuable and versatile metal remain alarmingly prevalent.
California has over 1 million electric vehicles on its roads, which accounts for approximately half of the entire electric vehicle stock in the United States. The electric vehicle market is expanding rapidly, and thus, the theft of charging cables has become a significant concern, attracting widespread attention.
A Los Angeles resident was shocked to discover that his EV charging cord had mysteriously vanished when he stepped out of his home one morning. The victim decided to check the footage captured by his Ring security camera. A person wearing a hoodie and mask unplugged the cord from their car and the socket on the outside wall in the morning, and then rode away on a bike.
Victim said, “This guy was so quick. He was so fast at it.”
People in Southern California are sharing videos on platforms like Nextdoor, revealing instances of thieves swiftly stealing EV charging cables in as little as 13 seconds. Thieves in the Reno, Nevada area specifically targeted charging stations, impacting the accessibility of cables, as reported last year. Charge cable theft is the new worry for EV owners and people are getting stressed about it.
