ChargePoint has had enough of vandalizing thieves who saw through EV charger cables to steal valuable copper — so now it’s making new “cut-resistant” cables and adding alarm systems in an attempt to mitigate the damage.

The Campbell, California-based charging network announced Thursday a two-pronged plan to deter EV charging equipment vandalism. The first step is adding new cut-resistant cables that ChargePoint hopes spreads industry-wide. The second is a new alarm system called ChargePoint Protect.

ChargePoint, one of the nation’s largest charging networks, has announced plans to reduce EV charger vandalism at every location. The plan has two main components. First, ChargePoint is introducing new cut-resistant cables that are designed to prevent cable theft,

New anti-theft and anti-vandalism tech could make it harder to steal copper-rich EV cables. Will it work? What’s stopping a thief with a pair of sturdy bolt cutters from snipping the hefty cable from your local charging station?

EV charging cables have been targeted by copper thieves in the past. A 2024 Associated Press report noted an increase in reported cable thefts that coincided with rising copper prices. Such thefts leave big repair bills for charging-station owners and fewer available chargers for EV drivers.

ChargePoint CEO Rick Wilmer spoke to Ars Technica and explained how he decided to take action after chargers at the company’s own Silicon Valley headquarters were repeatedly cut. Here is how he describes making the new cable:

ChargePoint is tired of thieves cutting the cables at its EV charger stations, so it installed anti-theft cables and alarm systems to prevent vandalism

ChargePoint is doing something. The company has a new cable that should be much harder for thieves or vandals to cut. It’s not as simple as wrapping it in something akin to Earl’s Plumbing with those cool-looking stainless steel hoses.

But the problem has become particularly acute for electric vehicle drivers in recent years, as many have come to roll up on public chargers for much-needed juice ... only to find the cables cut and gone,

ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT), a leading provider of networked charging solutions for electric vehicles (EVs), today announced two innovative new solutions to combat charger vandalism, featuring a new cut-resistant charging cable and ChargePoint® Protect, an alarm system designed to increase charging station security.