Germany’s growing network of fast-charging stations for electric cars has become an unlikely target for crime. In a worrying trend, thieves are cutting cables for the copper inside. Operators warn of mounting costs and disruption, as the wave of thefts spreads across several regions.
With more than 42,000 fast-charging points across Germany, the country boasts one of Europe’s most extensive charging networks. But this bright spot of progress in the shift to electric mobility comes with a dark side. Criminals are targeting the thick charging cables attached to direct-current fast chargers, lured by the copper within.
Battery-powered cutters
The thefts are often carried out at night on supermarket forecourts, motorway rest areas, and retail parks, where charging bays stand deserted after hours. Armed with battery-powered cutters, thieves can sever the heavy-duty cables within minutes.
Still, the rewards don’t pay off that high: a length of copper might fetch €50 from a scrap dealer, or half that on the black market. But for operators, each stolen cable can cost up to €8,000 to replace once installation and safety certification are factored in. Charging points can also remain offline for weeks, leaving drivers stranded without access to the power they expected.
Police say not all cases are about profit. In some instances, cables have been cut and then discarded, suggesting acts of sabotage by individuals hostile to electric cars. In others, the wires are snipped close to the plug, yielding little material but ensuring the charger is unusable.
Paint as a remedy
One of the worst-hit regions is Lower Saxony. Investigators confirm that incidents have risen sharply in 2025, from isolated cases in previous years to dozens this year. Areas around Hannover, Braunschweig, and Göttingen have experienced repeated attacks, similar to those in hotspots such as Saxony, Thuringia, and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Energy companies are under pressure to act. Tesla has begun coating its Supercharger cables with the so-called Dye Defender (see video below). This hose wrapped around the cable sprays a paint – most likely in the face – that stains anyone attempting to strip the insulation. It leaves evidence on skin and clothes. Other providers are testing reinforced cable sheaths, alarm systems, and cameras, while some are exploring GPS trackers hidden within the cables themselves.
Punishments are quite severe. In Leipzig, a 43-year-old man who admitted cutting multiple charging cables was convicted not of theft but of ‘joint vandalism’, a charge that carries harsher penalties because charging stations are classed as public infrastructure. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
