DETROIT - Across the U.S., thieves have been targeting electric-vehicle charging stations, intent on stealing the cables, which contain copper wiring.
The price of copper is near a record high on global markets, which means criminals stand to collect rising sums of cash from selling the material.
The stolen cables often disable entire charging stations.
Broken-down chargers have emerged as the latest obstacle for U.S. automakers in their effort to convert more Americans to EVs despite public anxiety about a scarcity of charging stations.
If even finding a charging station doesn't necessarily mean finding functioning cables, it becomes another reason for buyers to stick with gasoline-fueled or hybrid vehicles, at least for now.