The Rising Threats of EV Charger Site Theft: Is your site protected?

As more businesses, shopping centres, homeowners, and petrol stations invest in EV charging stations, criminals have also increased the frequency and sophistication with which they target high-value cables, equipment, and materials, particularly copper wiring.

Driven by the price of copper and the easy access to EV chargers, most of which are installed in public spaces that are accessible 24/7, this has contributed to huge losses.

Owners are left with the costs of replacing their chargers and disruption to businesses and customers, while there are further impacts on the EV charging infrastructure, which is already smaller than needed.

Last year, an extra 19%, or 19,000 public EV charging points, were added to the ZapMap network, but the corresponding number of thefts and reports of vandalism more than doubled, making proactive security a key priority to keep EV chargers protected.

Key takeaways: The threats to EV charger sites

• The costs of an EV charging station being vandalised or stripped of wiring go beyond replacing damaged or stolen components or submitting an insurance claim.
• Repeated and rising incidents have meant insurance providers are increasing premiums and adding strict policy exclusions that make running an EV charging service more expensive.
• Replacement parts can take time to source, which means a damaged EV charger might be out of commission for an extended period unless the owner is prepared to cover the significant outlays associated with emergency callouts.
• Customers driving EVs and hybrids avoid stations where they have often found no available chargers or where all the chargers are out of commission. This means drivers will turn elsewhere, potentially taking their other business, such as grocery shopping, to another site.
• Taking action to prevent thefts and defend charging stations from criminals is more cost-efficient than even one attack and makes an EV charging station more commercially viable over the long term.

Why Are EV Charger Thefts Becoming So Common?

The EV market is growing steadily, creating demand for EV chargers at service stations, supermarkets, and other venues. However, charging cables and wiring are expensive and have a high resale value, which is why police forces across the UK have seen spikes in reported thefts and vandalism.

Now, police forces are even logging instances of cable-cutting to be able to respond to freedom of information requests, demonstrating the scale of the problem.

Copper has long been a valuable commodity, which is one reason criminals target empty and vacant homes where they can strip out the wiring.

Recently, global copper prices have also soared, which has exacerbated the threat, especially copper theft in outdoor EV charging stations in publicly accessible spaces.

While the costs of replacing and repairing damaged or vandalised EV chargers are high, there are also environmental concerns. Limited infrastructure growth may deter drivers from switching to an EV, where they can see that there aren’t enough facilities to charge their vehicles, or where charging stations are always cordoned off following an incident.

How to Protect EV Charger Sites From Theft

Each site may have varied risks and vulnerabilities, which is why the best place to start is with a thorough evaluation. This ensures that charging station owners do not invest in security that leaves gaps, such as implementing new surveillance covering an entrance without recognising that other entry routes remain undefended.

During a site risk appraisal, we’ll look at:

• The lighting on-site and whether this is sufficient for all times of the day and year.
• How many potential entry routes are there, noting that criminals won’t necessarily use main roadways and that rear entry over open land is possible.
• The levels of traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular, on and around the charging station, and whether there are times when covert activity could go undetected.
• The number, layout and positioning of EV chargers.

From there, we can advise on the best deterrents, surveillance, and tamper-resistant features, often blending technological solutions with CCTV and guarded patrols for sites with elevated risks or where there have been repeated previous incidents of theft.

EV Charging Station Security Services

1. Start with CCTV Installation

Prevention is always the goal, and for many EV charging stations, CCTV surveillance is essential. Visible cameras and signage covering all chargers are a strong deterrent and are usually combined with surveillance extending to all entrances and exits.

Car parks equipped with CCTV see an average 37% reduction in crime, whereas those with active and responsive cameras that emit audible alarms, warnings, or trigger security team deployments generate a further 15% drop in criminal activity.

The CCTV cameras best suited to EV charging stations may include:

• CCTV towers units for larger outdoor sites or where there isn’t the infrastructure to install hard-wired cameras powered by mains electricity.
• Autonomous solar and battery-powered camera units, either mast-mounted or affixed to walls, fencing or other structures.
• AI-enabled CCTV, which can analyse movements and activities and trigger a pre-emptive alert if suspicious behaviour may indicate an intent to steal or vandalise.

High-value EV charging stations can take this further and integrate advanced AI-supported technologies like automatic number plate recognition (ANPR). This can store evidence over periods when unusual movements have been recorded to allow for prompt and preventative investigations.

2. Install Outdoor Lighting at EV Charging Sites

Charging stations that are poorly lit are inevitably more likely to be targeted. Dark corners and the cover of darkness make it easier for criminals to enter the site and vandalise or steal components without being seen.

Security lighting improves visibility, makes it impossible for thieves to act without being seen, and augments the effectiveness of CCTV cameras. Options like motion-activated lighting reduce the costs of lighting an outdoor charging station while making the site more comfortable for genuine customers.

3. Install preventative methods

We often recommend concrete barriers and bollards positioned around possible entry routes, such as lanes or access points behind the boundary of a charging station or areas of woodland and open land.

Crash-rated bollards prevent any vehicle from accessing the site, and combined with clear lighting, signage, CCTV cameras and notices warning opportunist criminals that they are under surveillance, this can mitigate security risks by a considerable level.

Do you run an EV charger site? Speak to Clearway about EV charger security today

Speak to us today for a tailored risk appraisal and discover how to protect your infrastructure, reputation, and customers from avoidable disruption. Or find out more about how we can secure your EV site here.