Drivers deterred from purchasing an electric car by range anxiety and high list prices can now add another item to their list of worries: public chargers having their cables stolen. Since November last year, Instavolt, the UK’s largest operator of rapid chargers, has had 174 cables stolen from 27 of its sites in Yorkshire and the Midlands.
Meanwhile, he’s liaising with the police, who are apparently building a “body of evidence”. “With their help, we’re well on the way to tracking down the criminals,” he said. Gridserve is also a victim. A spokesman for the company said: “Gridserve takes incidents of vandalism and theft very seriously and works closely with relevant authorities when they do occur. We act as quickly as possible to ensure any damaged chargers are back online in a timely manner.