One London resident may be taking the Tube for a while. As their Reddit post showed, someone cut and stole their Tesla charging cable, but criminal charges are unlikely.

The original poster mentioned, “They even managed to get it out of the outlet which should have been locked?” For safety and security reasons, the connector locks during charging to prevent damage to the charging equipment and others from unplugging it.

However, many vandals have found ways to skirt charger safety features. One Nebraska man went so far as to smash the windows of the EV after unplugging the cable from it. Some people subtly defy EVs by parking in clearly marked charging spots with their gas-powered vehicles.

While the OP called local police “useless” regarding petty theft, a few commenters made good points about the statistical relevance of alerting them anyway. “Always report it. It adds a data point, which they can do analysis on,” someone said.

After all, after enough reports, authorities may impose steeper fines that can deter vandals. “Electric vehicle charging needs to be upfelonied like tampering with a gas pump,” one commenter suggested. Per Transport and Energy, EV vandalism in the UK doubled from 2023 to 2024.

While charger station vandalism may cause some to think twice before making their next car an EV, it shouldn’t if one looks at the big picture. The global march toward clean energy encompasses a wider range of sources, including solar, wind, and geothermal, which are not only saving consumers money but also creating more jobs.

The growing popularity of EVs — which don’t produce exhaust, per the Environmental Protection Agency — is a major step in ridding the skies and human lungs of pollution. It also means fewer heat-trapping gases that contribute to a hotter planet with harsher living conditions.

While the EV battery manufacturing process and lithium mining involve some pollution, they don’t compare to the pollution caused by dirty fuels. The millions of tons of minerals used for green energy are already being recycled, and one day, they may no longer require mining. Contrast that with the billions of tons of dirty energy sourced annually that aren’t reusable, meaning mining is mandatory.

The EV revolution also extends beyond driving. People can work out and enjoy the breeze by leveling up to an electric bike. Even clean energy stocks are outpacing their counterparts in the dirty fuel sector, making them a better option from both a financial and ecological standpoint.

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