Theft of EV charging cables more than doubled in 2024, driven by their high resale value and ease of theft, new data indicates.

The theft of EV charging cables is on the rise, driven by their high resale value and ease of theft

DeterTech, which operates a national intelligence portal on behalf of all police forces in England and Wales, said organised criminal gangs are exploiting this emerging market and has uncovered alarming insights.

Both residential EV chargers and public charging stations are being heavily targeted by low-level offenders and serious organised gangs alike, particularly in areas such as South Yorkshire and the West Midlands.

And Gary Higgins, director of security and risk at DeterTech, said hotspots will continue to be targeted by criminals until adequate deterrents are in place.

“Worryingly, offenders are often found revisiting the same public charging stations to steal replacement cables installed after previous thefts. This ongoing cycle of events underscores the importance of disrupting the supply chain and ensuring stolen cables can be easily identified,” he explained.

Cable theft is a massive issue disrupting charge point operators across the country. Each stolen or damaged cable costs charging providers between £700 and £1,000, and figures indicate that theft and vandalism costs the industry upwards of £500,000 based on the cost of replacement, repair and lost income.

It’s also a major concern for EV drivers and there are concerns it could deter motorists from going electric.

In November last year, Be.EV launched an initiative to crack down on charging cable vandalism in Chesterfield, providing a blueprint for similar schemes across the UK.

The national charging network has partnered with Derbyshire Police and EV charging space specialist Formula Space to declare war on charge point thefts through its ‘Charging Hub Intelligent Protection’ initiative, or CHIP.

The scheme uses a mobile CCTV system that’s monitored around the clock, and a Tannoy system to warn any gangs of criminals that they’re being recorded. In addition, SelectaDNA protected cables feature a unique DNA coating, meaning the police can easily trace their origin, associate them with a criminal and hold the vandals to account.

DeterTech said forensic marking is a tried-and-tested solution that can help turn the tide on charger thefts.

Higgins added: “DeterTech’s deterrent-based SmartWater forensic marking technology is already widely used to tackle cable theft and has a 100% conviction rate in contested court cases. The technology is now being adopted by EV charge point operators across the UK, helping to ensure their locations remain safe and accessible for all users.

“The liquid is invisible to the naked eye but shows up clearly under UV light. It makes it much simpler for police and local authorities to identify stolen property and to shut down rogue scrap metal dealers who are willing to handle stolen goods. Thieves steal with impunity when they don’t think they’ll get caught. That’s why SmartWater is so effective.”