Copper suspected target in St. Albert EV charging cable theft

A St. Albert rec centre is dealing pinch vandalism and theft to its electric conveyance charging stations that metropolis officials judge whitethorn person happened because nan cables incorporate copper.

Kelly McConnell, elder head of recreation programs and services pinch nan City of St. Albert, said each 8 cables connected nan charging stations astatine Servus Place were trim disconnected and stolen connected June 3.

“We judge that group trim them disconnected assuming that they could rate them successful for immoderate copper,” McConnell said. “I deliberation it (was) conscionable opportunity. Just for illustration galore thefts for cablegram that we publication astir aliases perceive about, it’s conscionable opportunity. I deliberation it’s conscionable vandalism and theft, is really nan motivation, reasoning they could rate it successful for nan waste of nan minerals inside.”

St. Albert RCMP confirmed they received a title astir nan crime and are investigating.

The recreation centre has surveillance cameras successful its parking lot. McConnell said nan cameras captured immoderate video footage of nan vandalism, which has been sent to nan RCMP.

William York, president of nan Electric Vehicle Association of Alberta, said while it doesn’t way instances for illustration this, he believes cablegram thefts are connected nan rise. However, he warned that nan worth of nan copper successful nan cables is minimal.

“When you look astatine really overmuch copper is really successful those cables, it’s very little, conscionable a mates of dollars’ worth,” he said.

York said nan costs to nan charging position proprietor is overmuch higher.

“Those cables tin costs anyplace from $250 each to – if it’s a accelerated charger we’re talk astir – up to $7,000 each,” he explained.

The metropolis estimates nan costs to switch nan units will beryllium betwixt $5,000 and $6,000. At this point, there’s nary timeline connected nan replacement, McConnell said.

“We are presently investigating to spot if there’s immoderate benignant of information enhancements that we tin perchance do to make it a small harder for them to beryllium stolen,” he said. “We would statement it astir apt done nan supplier of nan units and conscionable person them repair. I don’t deliberation it’s thing excessively difficult. They would do it successful a day, I imagine.”

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While nan costs to switch nan units won’t break nan bank, it’s an inconvenience for nan city.

“This is not exorbitant. We person a reasonably ample fund here. I don’t spot this would put america successful immoderate benignant of difficulty,” McConnell said.

“What you would perceive from not only us, but recreation accommodation crossed nan province, crossed Canada is you ever person a definite grade of theft and vandalism that you woody with, but EV chargers is surely a caller 1 for us.”

York said nan EV manufacture is very alert of nan rumor of cables being vandalized aliases stolen, and added that location are exertion solutions coming successful nan adjacent early successful hopes of mitigating nan crime.

“It will beryllium a substance of GPS search devices, information camera systems and past criminal investigations.”

The 4 electrical conveyance charging stations pinch 2 cables each were installed astatine Servus Place past year.

While nan charging stations spot marginal usage now, McConnell said nan metropolis was preparing for nan early erstwhile they had them installed.

“We slow spot much and much of an uptake arsenic clip went on,” he said. “It is simply a work we have, and we want to beryllium capable to supply that service.

McConnell said St. Albert has 22 EV charging stations successful full wrong nan city.