A public electric vehicle charger in Wellington has been left without charging cables, prompting a police report for copper theft.
By Sammy Carter of RNZ
Hutt Valley resident Michael Taylor was in his friend's vehicle on Friday, when they pulled up to a high capacity charger by Avalon Park.
They hoped to charge up fast, but were halted by the cut wire.
"We got there and all of the copper cables from the cabinet were basically all chopped off."
While there were other places nearby to charge up, Taylor said it was inconvenient and a "major pain in the neck".
Meridian, who own the EV chargers, said they were really disappointed their public EV chargers had been damaged.
"At a time of increased fuel prices, public EV chargers offer people a lower-cost option for their travel," Lisa Hannifin, Meridian chief customer officer said.
"We're currently looking into the extent of the damage and how long it will take to repair them, as well as reviewing CCTV footage and working with police."
Hutt Valley area commander inspector Wade Jennings said police received a report of a copper theft in the Hutt Valley, and are making enquiries into the matter.
However, he said police had not seen a noticeable increase in these incidents.
He advised the public to call 111 if they see a theft or any suspicious activity.
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