Home / Crime and Justice / EV Chargers Targeted for Copper Theft
EV Chargers Targeted for Copper Theft
28 Jul
Summary
- Thieves are stealing copper by damaging electric vehicle chargers.
- Copper theft incidents have significantly increased in Victoria and NSW.
- Increased security measures and industry cooperation lead to more arrests.
Criminals are increasingly targeting public electric vehicle (EV) chargers to steal the copper wiring, driven by a surge in scrap metal prices. This new trend has expanded beyond traditional targets like rail and telecommunications infrastructure.
In Victoria, scrap metal theft incidents more than doubled between 2016 and 2025, with New South Wales also reporting a substantial increase in copper theft specifically. Operators are implementing layered prevention strategies, including improved lighting, enhanced camera coverage, protective cable sleeves, and on-site security measures.
Industry-wide cooperation is proving effective, with charging companies sharing information, footage, and police case numbers. This collaboration has resulted in more arrests, such as one in the Newcastle area where a man was charged with numerous offenses related to damaging EV charging stations. Police seized charging handles, cutting tools, and stripped cables during his apprehension.
Despite the copper content in a typical DC charger cable, the crime is not highly lucrative. The primary casualty is the customer experience, as damaged sites are taken offline, preventing drivers from charging their vehicles when required.
