Stealing EV charging cables - a growing trend

[TruckElectric]

VIDEO: Brazen thieves steal EV charging cables
https://www.foxla.com/news/video-brazen-thieves-steal-ev-charging-cables

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[Newton]

I have honestly wondered why more cables are not stolen. the thick quick charge cables seem to be around 30lbs or more. 30 x $4.39 = $130

 

[BillyGee]

Just have the copper scrappers demand ID like they do up where I live. Suddenly the problem will vanish.

 

[TruckElectric]

Would be a punch in gut to roll up to a charging station and close to empty on your battery only to find all the cables gone.

 

[TruckElectric]

Just have the copper scrappers demand ID like they do up where I live. Suddenly the problem will vanish.

True. But copper thieves always seem to find a way to sell their ill-gotten goods.

 

[BillyGee]

True. But copper thieves always seem to find a way to sell their ill-gotten goods.

Unfortunately, yes. There is, however, the central valley solution I heard from a farmer friend in college; "Just shoot near them to spook them off. What are they going to do? Call the cops and say that they were shot at trying to steal copper from a farm?"

 

[TruckElectric]

"Just shoot near them to spook them off. What are they going to do? Call the cops and say that they were shot at trying to steal copper from a farm?"

Would have worked maybe a few years ago but not now. You would most likely be charged. Not worth it. Criminals have the upper hand and they know it.

 

[BillyGee]

Would have worked maybe a few years ago but not now. You would most likely be charged. Not worth it. Criminals have the upper hand and they know it.

Maybe, he was out in a rural area of central California. Things are different out there.

 

[TruckElectric]

Maybe, he was out in a rural area of central California. Things are different out there.

Problem is most charging stations are not in rural areas. And even if some are there are still people/businesses around the charging stations.

Don't fire a gun unless your life is in danger in these circumstances.

 

[Klaxon]

Sharp shooting could solve a problem even faster. But where we can find so many sharpshooters?

 

[TruckElectric]

I think scrap copper is going for around $4.00/pound.

 

[KrodEKid]

Sharp shooting could solve a problem even faster. But where we can find so many sharpshooters?

Maybe Elon can use the Tesla bot as sentries to guard the chargers What could go wrong?

 

[ÆCIII]

Just put cameras at each of the supercharging locations. If cameras show thieves or vandals in action, maybe in the future Tesla bots could be summoned to simply restrain criminals until police arrive. Also the alerting of police could be automated.

But I think this will happen a lot less frequently over the long term, as thieves would know that everyone and law enforcement would quickly be ready for them so their chances of being apprehended at a charger location, would greatly increase.

Non-lethal tranquilizer darts would be extremely useful in these situations. The tranquilizer doesn't have to act super fast or be lethal, but merely has to assure the criminals don't get that far, so they can be located and then dragged to a jail cell where they would wake up and face charges.

 

[Eye of Elon]

I doubt anyone is going to jail for stealing some copper in 2022.

 

[firsttruck]

1. All Tesla Supercharger should have dedicated cameras at each location.
Tesla should have done this from the start. These thefts and other incidents (icing and attacks on Tesla drivers) was entirely predictable.

2. Change chargers to 800V which uses cables with less copper.

3. Apple Air tags, RFID or other tracking devices in each cable.

4. TeslaChargeBot ( uses wheels Not humanoid type TeslaBot) mobile robot
- special design just for charging task
- mobile security ( patrol area. Detect loiters or stalkers hiding in area )
- plug/unplug charging cable to car
- drivers/owners no longer need to get out of car (safer from muggers)
- has a couple of industry standard adapters for non-Tesla EVs

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