Haute-Garonne police arrest three for electric vehicle charging station thefts

Gendarmes in Haute-Garonne have arrested three individuals suspected of a series of copper cable thefts from electric vehicle charging stations. The group, consisting of a father, his son, and the son's partner, was caught in the act following a series of approximately 15 thefts near Toulouse. The total damage from these specific incidents is estimated at 300,000 euros.

Surveillance footage showed the suspects using a coordinated method: one person acted as a lookout in a running vehicle, another cut the cables with shears, and a third collected the wires. The surge in such thefts is attributed to rising copper prices, which have exceeded 13 euros per kilo. Nationally, the total loss for electric charging station operators is estimated to exceed 15 million euros. In response, operators are beginning to invest in protective measures such as Kevlar-reinforced cables and indelible dye capsules.