Copper thieves in Leipzig: E-car charging cable as new prey in sight

Copper thieves in Leipzig: E-car charging cable as new prey in sight

Together against copper theft: E-car owners are committed to

In Saxony, e-car drivers and the police have set a strong sign against the increase in copper theft of charging stations. The commitment of the community shows how important a safe environment is for e-drivers.

The call to the community

In order to counter the repeated copper thefts at public loading points in Saxony, electric car owners have formed a strong community. Torsten Wanke, a passionate e-car driver and organizer of the Leipzig electric regulars' table, emphasizes: "It is not worth it. We get you!" This was a reaction to the thefts that had caused unrest for several months and presented a threat to growing e-mobility.

The impressions of those affected

Members of the e-car community who rely on public charging stations have actively participated in combating the problem. The damage caused by the theft lies in the six-figure area, which illustrates the effects on e-mobility in the region. "We were forced to act ourselves because we are often dependent on these charging points," explains Wanke, who calls up to keep your eyes and ears open.

The impending copper price and its consequences

The motifs of the perpetrators are clear: the rising prices for copper make the cables a sought -after destination. Nevertheless, the criminals are often naive in their efforts, since the material value of the stolen copper is low compared to the costs of the damage repair. Wanke estimates that the thieves can only achieve about 50 euros per cable when reselling, while the repair of a damaged charging point can cost up to 3,000 euros.

The success of the police

in Leipzig, the police discovered two suspects two weeks ago, who are responsible for numerous thefts in the area. Police spokesman Olaf Hoppe expressed that there are specific results of the investigation that indicate an organized gang of thieves. This shows how important close cooperation between the police and the e-car community is to combat this crime.

The consequences for the supply

The number of investigative proceedings in Saxony has drastically increased from 2022 to 2024. While there was not a single case in 2022, the number rose to up to 50 in 2024, which is due to the increase in the activities of the thieves now identified. These developments represent a challenge for e-car owners and operators of loading points that now have to worry about the security of their infrastructure.

Measures of the operators to secure

Based on these incidents, operators of charging stations have started to strengthen their security measures. In many cases, they have decided to use video surveillance to deter thieves. Viola Martin-Mönnich from Saxony-Energy explains that these measures will apply in particular on their own space in order to increase security and to regain the trust of users.

Conclusion: Security and Community

The events in Saxony illustrate how important a committed community is to ensure security for all e-car users. The cooperation between residents, operators and the police leads to a strengthened sense of community and a higher security standard at the charging points. This is of great importance for the further acceptance and spread of e-mobility.