Crooks are posing yet ANOTHER threat to EV adoption in America: 'This worries me the most' Thieves are targeting valuable copper in charging cables across the country

UK DAILY MAIL ^ | 12 June 2024 | By Tilly Armstrong

[dennisw]

The reason thieves are targeting EV charging cables is because they contain copper wiring.

The price of copper is near a record high on global markets, so criminals stand to collect rising sums of cash from selling the material.

But while it costs $1,000 to replace a charging cable, authorities say, thieves only stand to make $20 reselling the metal.

Thieves have been caught on camera in Seattle targeting an EV charging station on the edge of a shopping center parking lot.

CCTV footage shows them using bolt cutters to snip several charging cables and load them into a truck - all in just a few minutes.

A new threat is posing further obstacles to electric vehicle ownership for Americans.

Thieves are targeting charging stations and stealing the cables. This can mean the loss of $1,000-plus cables - but there is an even bigger knock-on effect.

Crooks cutting wires can disable entire stations - forcing owners to search desperately for another working charger that might be miles away.

So-called 'range anxiety', slow charging and a lack of public stations have long put Americans off switching to EVs - despite tax credits from President Biden.

And now broken down chargers are exacerbating the problem - giving skeptical buyers one more reason to stick with gas cars for now.

'For the myriad reasons people give for EVs not working, cable theft is the one that would worry me the most,' one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

[teacherwoes]

Will ‘range anxiety” be the newest mental health issue?

[SunkenCiv]

• Thieves hunting for copper are vandalizing EV chargers [09/24/2024]
• Armed Venezuelan Gangs Steal Oil, Copper Wire, Assault Workers at Texas Oil Field [09/07/2024]
• Copper thieves caught on camera 'risking death' to steal utility lines in North Texas [08/21/2024]
• Small businesses facing a new threat—copper thieves tearing apart their AC units [06/26/2024]
• Chicago PMI Screams RECESSION! Falls To Cycle Low Of 35.4, Back To 2008 Recession Levels (Copper Prices Rising!) [05/31/2024]
• Study: The Amount of Copper Needed for EVs Is 'Impossible for Mining Companies to Produce' [05/27/2024]
• California town outraged as traffic lights are replaced with stop signs to deter homeless people from stealing copper [05/20/2024]
• Stop signs replace some Oakland traffic lights to deter copper theft [05/18/2024]
• California: EV charging stations become prime target for copper thieves [05/17/2024]
• Nolte: Thieves Steal Tesla's Electric Vehicle Charging Cables for Copper in California [05/16/2024]
• Copper Thieves Cut Charging Cables at Tesla Station in San Fransicko [05/14/2024]
• Copper prices hit a record, breaking $5 per pound for the first time [05/14/2024]
• Doctor Copper Has A Message on Inflation [04/19/2024]
• 'Copper Thieves' are Turning American Cities into Third World Countries [01/26/2024]
• Famous Bridge in Los Angeles Has Gone Dark — Due to Copper Thieves [12/29/2023]
• There isn't enough copper in the world — and the shortage could last till 2030 [02/28/2023]
• Thieves Steal Cables From EV Charging Stations as Copper Prices Rise [02/28/2023]
• Get Ready! Dash for $10 Trillion of Metals For Energy Transition Starts Now (Copper, Aluminum, Lithium, Silver, Rare Earths) [02/10/2023]
• Vehicle charging stations targeted by copper thieves, Seattle City Light says [01/16/2023]
• Copper Falls Below $7,000 a Ton for the First Time in 2 Years, Flashing a Potential Recession Signal [07/15/2022]
• Copper shortage keep green energy, tech ventures grounded [07/15/2022]
• Hurt So Good? Copper Down -27% Since March 3rd, Bitcoin Down -70% Since Nov '21 (Is The Fed Killing Off The Economy Or Just Removing “Free Money”?) [07/11/2022]
• Copper Boom Likely to Last for Decades, Prompting a Global hunt for New Supplies [01/24/2022]

[Taxman]

LOL!

[Tell It Right]

Range anxiety is for people who don’t do planning before going on long trips.

[Organic Panic]

Golly. Who woulda thunk.

[DennisR]

😂

[wetgundog]

Go for it! you Luddites!!! LMAO! Electricity is your friend, at least the re-charging cables are. Clean Copper $2.65/lb.

[woodbutcher1963]

I know a company in Idaho that operates multiple scrap yards and a trucking company.
The new catalytic converters have a vin number on them.
They will only buy them from a person who fills out a form showing their license, ID , etc.

They have a machine that cuts up the catalytic converters and puts the rare metals into bags in a 55 gallon drum.
Each full drum is worth $12K.
Most expensive cat is a Ford Escalade.
It has two at $650 each.

They also have a machine that strips the casing off Romex wire and cuts the copper into little pieces.
It blows those pieces into a bin that maxed out at 4000 pounds.
A truck load of copper goes twice a month to a buyer in Portland at 64000 pounds on a maxi flatbed. Do the math.

Recently they got into tire recycling.
There is demand for products made from old cat/truck tires.

Of course, they also sell scrap crushed cars and trucks.
Those mostly go to a company outside of Portland that makes rebar.

[1756-L85E]

Sentencing? Most will never even be charged, let alone sentenced.

[maddog55]

EVs ... Everything about them sucks.