Thieves cutting cables from Tesla charging stations, stealing copper inside 

“Desperate times” excuse. Thieves steal 365 days a year good economy or bad.

It's not desperation, it's a crime of opportunity. It's Bay area culture

I can't believe these people are making excuses for those thieves. 😮

They need to keep the 400 volts permanently active on these cables 😂

Desperate times? Stop justifying crime.

It’s not about desperation, it’s called organized crime

If you don’t arrest criminals, what do you expect?

$5 a pound is the spot price, recycle centers are just as guilty for taking the stolen property.

Thank you for informing the public that copper is $3 a pound and it is abundant in charging cables !

I was homeless once, and I never got the desperation to commit crimes. It’s BS.

Im actually more surprised this didnt happen sooner, considering how often Home Depot and Lowe's get shoplifted

I’m honestly surprised it took them this long to figure out theirs copper wire in there

People aren't "desperate" sir, they are thieves who have gotten used to getting away with stuff with no consequences, which is what are current youth will always think at this point.

Boy that's a shocker. Who would have thought it. Thieves have torn down a radio station tower to steal the copper, but nobody thought they would steal the wires from a public charger?

Another reason why not to buy a ev

This video feels more like an advertisement and instructional for criminals to get educated.

Theyll do Anything but getting a job

Bay Area is the most expensive third world locale on the planet.

Here in New Orleans thieves have been stealing the copper wires out of the light poles on the interstate

Desperation my ass dawg, you telling me these criminals stole took time to probably steal, cut the cables off this station, drove off and waited for the recycling plant to open? Like dawg just get a job!

Desperate times? No. Some people are prone to criminality.

It’s not a sign of our economic times …back in the 80’s they were already stealing copper cables from construction sites etc…. The thieves were willing to die for it, because we found one body on site at the location I was working.

So much for building infrastructure… until governments can build tamper-proof EV stations, just forget EVs altogether…

You won’t see a gas station with their hoses missing…

Desperate times. Give me a break. Just criminal activity and no lock ups in prison.

As long as it is less than 950$, they are not in trouble…. 😂

This is SO common in my country. Not tesla charges, but stealing cables. There are whole neighborhoods without electricity in some places because of people stealing cables. People who buy it shouldn't do it, because it's always a product of crime, so they should be seen as criminals too, since they are the ones supporting it.

The last sentence really hit me. They're targeting home charging cables too for a COUPLE OF DOLLARS worth of wire. And those cables cost up to $3,0000 DOLLARS. Now who is the real criminals??

In a normal world, like maybe 20 years ago, these thieves would never have committed this crime because they'd already be in jail for the other crime they've committed

For 6 dollars a pound, the damage is enormous.

Watching politicians steal makes regular folks think it’s okay.

Imagin being on 2% batteries make it to the charging station only to find they cut all the cords.

are we sure they're willing to give up jail time if they don't get punished?

they dont do squat to catalytic thieves, what make you think they'll do something about this.. plenty of home owners died defending their cars

Looks like they need to pull the plug on electricity vehicles.

I love how tech companies make delivery robots or put in these stations etc. Yet they think everybody around are good intentioned honest people.

This happened in the mid west last week. The Tesla employee sent out to fix the 18 cables said on the news that you can’t get hurt cutting the cables. I knew instantly this is gonna be the new catalytic converter

Criminals in South Africa were doing this with power lines. Sad to see our country heading in the same direction with crime.

It’s not like that’s a crime here in California. That’s just free money for anyone to take…

The copper wiring are valuable. Wouldn't be surprised it this becomes widespread with the Tesla Supercharger stations.

Not a shocker. For the last few years many have predicted this would happen.

The cord cutters are really taking things seriously nowadays.

This is why we can't have nice things

Sounds like South Africa. Has nothing to do with desperation…. It’s a criminal mindset. I know many people who are desperate but still don’t resort to crime

Yep, here in South Africa it is a daily problem. The thieves will only like $20 for the copper. per location. They will be back next week after it has been replaced. You imported the problem.

At least it’s not our catalytic converters. 😅

Respect to thieves from Rusisia. Thank you guys for help.

Just a bunch of Aladdins needing to feed their families. How touching.

Did anyone actually believe this wouldn't happen?

The real theft is the cables costing $3,000 each.....

So what happened to crime being at an all time low? Liars, so corrupt it’s sickening

Criminals rather steal than work. They complaint that they are left behind and complaint everything. They chose to be left behind since 1st grade.

Keep those cables energized, problem solved.

You could design a station that locks up the cable when not in use or just design a bring your own cable system. This is a design opportunity.

Sure glad they made this into a news story so more criminals will get this idea

I wonder if it is the people that just got laid off from Tesla?

Scrap metal places should not buy copper knowing it was stolen

Desperate times applies to Haiti or Central America but in the richest nation in the world that’s a mental issue regarding theft

Wow I didn't know we could do that! Thank's for the tips

They're doing it so they can afford gas... Who we kidding? it's Vallejo. Meaning "teens."

This is just the start. Kinda expected this after last week the Tesla employee said you can’t get hurt cutting the cables. Why would you say that.

Same in Los Angeles. It's a big problem.

Put some safety measures like alarms.. that when a cable is cut alarm goes off..

1:40 REMAIN CALM DARREN. The reporter is clueless and says it's dangerous. The charging cable doesn't contain electricity when unplugged.

I said this would happen when they started installing these everywhere. Surprised it took this long

Almost home.

This is going on in Houston too

Pretty inconvenient this dude says. Well that's your fault going electric.

Reporting stories like this is a double edge sword..... Freedom of press vs giving MORE thieves the same idea elsewhere.

Copper theft...in Europe it has been a real issue in these last couple years.

Truly shocking news.

Meth doesn't grow on trees.

No excuses for the thieves but the bigger problem is the dealers who buy from them. No buyers, no thieves.

Another reason not to drive electric vehicles.

*Vinegars. Prove me wrong*

Man one can’t have anything work right without someone trying steal it

Thieves been stealing copper… forever in the BayArea in bad and good times. The old Naval Base buildings were pillaged, stripped of their wiring daily. Security was severely lacking. We’d see old pickup trucks looking like Mexican gardens go in the base n come out with rings of wire. Way back when Cell phones were put along the freeways… within a day all were broken n had the batteries stolen. Thieves never stop in the BayArea.. yrs ago it went over the top thievery in our stores since our smoothie brained politicians decided to sanction theft… only being a misdemeanor for under $1,000 and not enough Law Enforcement to be able to respond. Tourists- it’s not if you’ll get robbed or broke into… it’s when. Boycott BayArea and don’t feed the street creatures. Thanks California.

Desperate time for crackheads? 😭😂

Stop scrapyards from buying it.

There's no desperate times. There's plenty of jobs out there. People just need to get out and go get them. They Rather steal or complain or look for a handout instead of doing and honest day's work

WTH? Are they feeling bad/sorry for the thieves? "We live in desparate times" Yes we should do something to help these thieves so they don't have to steal. Most people get a job.

Clearly the gas station attendant trying to cut the competition

This is not because of "desperate times", criminals been doing this shit forever. Hell, I remember even helping my dad steal and strip wires for copper when I was a kid.

Stations all over the country are facing this issue. What a shame. What's even a good solution for this?

Security cameras?

At this point they’re just telling people “go ahead do whatever you want ! We’re not going to put you in jail”. Green light .

Being a South African copper theft is a common occurrence

Maybe try a cut proof sleeve around the cable or doors on the charger or do both.

Put retractable cables in the car itself, under a locked panel, like gas caps. Then the charging stations won't be as vulnerable.

A couple hundred dollars? 3 dollars a pound? So they got 70lbs of copper? Hardly. The cables cost $3000 to replace but only fetch about $6 at the scrap yard.

WHO CAN WE CALL TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS?

The Usual Basketball Engineers

These charging kiosks will undoubtedly be redesigned since this threat drives a stake at the very heart of electric car viability...if people can't recharge, their vehicles are useless.

Leave the power on and see if that continues

I know the culprit. It is impossible to catch them because they are higher up in the government. These stories continue.

They think those cables are expensive just wait until they have to replace the battery

Do they not afraid of electric shocks????? Unbelievable and unacceptable behaviors cutting all that changing station.

When my truck was broken into and robbed of $20k of tools a couple weeks before Christmas. A Texas cop (Texas of all places) told me, "You know its Christmas time and people are trying to get presents." The balls on this lady "detective," to say such a thing.

Cutting these cables is easier than going underneath a car to get a catylic converter.

It their right to steal , the stores already closed now they turn to cables next your home