A man has been filmed cutting the cable from an EV fast charger at a Christchurch service station, as police investigate a string of copper thefts from North Canterbury irrigators.
BP Wild Bean Cafe Redcliffs posted the footage to social media, showing a man using a cutting tool on the station's electric vehicle (EV) charging station overnight on Tuesday.
The fast charger cable was taken in the alleged theft, leaving the charger out of operation.
The station asked anyone who had seen anything suspicious, had dashcam footage or recognised the incident to contact police.
$130,000 in irrigator losses
North of the city, police are investigating 12 thefts of copper cabling from centre pivot and lateral irrigators across Swannanoa, West Eyreton, Fernside, Oxford and Darfield.
Canterbury Rural area commander Inspector Peter Cooper said reported losses had passed $130,000, before labour, contractor call-outs, irrigation downtime and other knock-on costs were counted.
"Offenders appear to be targeting copper power and control cabling from centre pivot irrigators for financial gain," Cooper said.
He said the thefts had gone unnoticed for months.
"Most irrigators remain dormant throughout winter and are not routinely inspected so victims are only now discovering damage, and reporting it."
Cooper asked farmers getting their systems ready for spring to keep an eye out.
"As people are inspecting and recommissioning irrigators for the coming season, we encourage anyone who notices damage to make a report to us."
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