Cable theft becomes a nightmare for e-car operators

They come at night, often with bolt cutters or battery saws, and target something you would hardly expect: the thick cables on electric car charging points. What seems like a harmless crime has now reached proportions that are really hurting the industry.

According to Alpitronic - the largest manufacturer of fast charging stations in Germany - an average of 13 cable thefts per day were reported in October 2025 alone. And that's with a material value of just 40 euros per cable. The criminals are after the copper. For the operator, however, the damage is many times greater: new cable, installation, testing - up to 8,000 euros per charging station!

EnBW, one of the largest charging providers in Germany, is already talking about several hundred affected locations this year. The result: frustration among providers - and annoyed e-car drivers standing in front of broken charging points.

New technology: whoever steals is dyed

Now the industry is striking back - with color! Some charging stations are now equipped with a kind of ink trap. The principle is simple but effective: a tube filled with pressurized fluid is placed around the copper cable. If the cable is sawn or cut, the ink squirts out - directly onto the thief.

And these are not just any toxic chemicals: the US company Catstrap uses organic dyes. In Sweden, the company Brandfokus even uses food coloring - in any shade. The highlight: the color remains visible on skin and clothing for days and can hardly be washed off. So if you turn up the next morning with purple arms, you might have to put up with a few questions.

A little alcohol is added so that the paint remains ready for use even in frosty conditions. "But so little that no one can drink themselves into a stupor," jokes a Brandfokus spokesperson.

First successes: thieves give up

The charging provider Ionity already has such color traps in use at over 100 locations - with success. Initial experience shows that as soon as potential thieves realize that the cables are secured, they often abandon the attempt. No wonder - who wants to stand at the deposit machine with green soup on their face?

Other operators are now also thinking about retrofitting their charging stations. The ink trap appears to be a simple yet effective solution to a growing problem.

Comment: He who steals becomes colorful - at last!

The fact that copper theft at e-charging stations has become a mass phenomenon shows one thing above all: even the greenest technology is not immune to old problems. But the fact that people have put up with the damage for so long was hardly comprehensible. Now we are finally fighting back - not with police and sirens, but with paint. Simple, creative, effective. And hopefully soon standard.