InstaVolt slams ‘senseless acts of vandalism’ as thieves cut charging cables
The UK’s largest rapid charging network is increasing security at its chargers after thieves hacked through the cables at more than 20 sites.
said criminals were targeting its rapid chargers in the mistaken belief that there was significant value in the copper used in the cables. It called the actions “senseless acts of vandalism” that were causing hundreds of thousands of pounds’ worth of damage and inconveniencing drivers.
The network has seen more than 20 EV charging sites across the Midlands and Yorkshire targeted by gangs since November. Instavolt 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.”
The company said it had introduced “robust measures” around its charging stations to deter any further damage including installing extra CCTV; introducing security patrols; using SmartWater to tag property and utilising tracking devices to ensure InstaVolt cables can be identified.
Lane added: “We are taking this very seriously and are engaged with the police at all levels. We are calling on the industry to come together to use the full force of the law. It’s not just the thieves we’re after, but also the scrap dealers who are handling this stolen product.”
“The EV revolution is already under way with more than 1,000,000 EVs on the road. Our mission is to make EV charging as easy as possible, and reliability is one of our core values. As an industry we need to be giving drivers confidence that they will be able to charge their car and we need to see swift law enforcement against the criminals causing disruption to EV drivers.”
