TapTechNews reported on May 12th that a series of Tesla supercharger cables were stolen in the Houston area, with at least 5 charging stations vandalized.
Last week, 18 high-voltage cables were stolen from a Tesla charging station in the Montrose area. Subsequently, more Tesla charging stations in other areas of Houston have experienced similar thefts, causing difficulties for electric vehicle owners.
The latest victim, the Yale Street Market supercharger station, has now resumed operations. Prior to this, Tesla owners received notifications of the station's closure due to dozens of cables being cut. Israel Robles is one of the affected Tesla owners. He said, 'This is very inconvenient because travel plans are made based on charging stations along the way.'
The incidents of supercharger cables being cut have surged, and the motives and identities of the perpetrators are currently unclear. Some speculate that it may be for stealing copper wires to sell for money, but a scrap yard owner dismissed this idea.
Brandi Harleaux, owner of the South Post Oak Recycling Center in southern Houston, stated that some people may think that the copper wires wrapped in Tesla charging station cables can fetch a good price, so they steal them to cash in. However, at her recycling center, this insulated copper wire sells for only 70 cents per pound. In other words, even if someone steals 50 pounds of Tesla charging station cables, they can only sell them for around $30.
Selling these cables not only yields meager profits, but the recycling center also has strict scrutiny procedures for the source of the materials, making the handling of stolen goods extremely risky.
'It’s more trouble to do transactions at the recycling center than at a bank,' Harleaux said. Sellers need to sign documents, take photos, and even leave fingerprints, which are then uploaded to state and local databases. Given the strict monitoring, Harleaux finds the motive for stealing charging station cables puzzling. 'Stop doing such stupid things,' she said.
The motive for the crimes is still unclear, but earlier this week, the owner of an electric vehicle repair company told KPRC2 that he suspects the thieves may be after copper wires, or it may be an act of malice towards electric cars.