Theft of cables from electric vehicle charging stations has increased in recent months, especially as copper prices have risen. According to reports, over 427 complaints have been filed, and the total damages claimed by operators amount to nine million euros. Several individuals involved in major raids on charging stations have been arrested, but only a small number have been convicted. The method typically involves driving at night to an empty charging station, cutting cables one after another in a short period, and leaving with a haul worth several thousand euros, often sold to unscrupulous scrap yards. Two individuals were arrested on September 15 in Vitrolles (Bouches-du-Rhône) after technical investigations and police surveillance. They are alleged to have stolen 52 cables from charging stations in the department, causing 120,000 euros in damage. They are now placed under judicial supervision and will be tried in November. In January 2026, several men wearing hoods were caught in Saint-Chamond (Loire) cutting cables at an A47 motorway service area. Police apprehended two of them after a chase. Another man in his twenties was arrested in Lieusaint (Seine-et-Marne) in February and is accused of causing 260,000 euros in damage by cutting the cables of eight charging stations. There are discrepancies in the estimated damages from one case to another. In Chantilly (Oise), a young man was apprehended loitering near charging stations and admitted to eight thefts. He claimed he learned the technique on TikTok and hoped to sell his loot for 8.5 euros per kilogram. He was released after 24 hours of detention and summoned for a later trial. In June, the court of Évry-Courcouronnes (Essonne) sentenced two perpetrators of numerous cable thefts from charging stations to 12 months in prison with an electronic bracelet for one and 12 months with a suspended sentence for the other. This was a historic first conviction, anticipated by public charging station operators. Although the number of arrests is increasing, several perpetrators are still awaiting trial, and convictions are happening drop by drop. Some individuals will never be questioned, as they were never caught, due to the isolated nature of many charging stations, which often lack surveillance cameras or witnesses. While charging station operators are gradually equipping themselves with anti-theft systems for cables, some have shown their limits. They continue to seek foolproof methods to combat this scourge, which can be debilitating for users of electric vehicles.