At least 5 Tesla Supercharger locations targeted in Houston in less than a week, but motive remains unclear

HOUSTON – At least five Tesla Supercharger locations were targeted in a series of cable thefts this week.

After KPRC 2’s Gage Goulding reported the theft of 18 high-voltage cables from a Tesla charging station in Montrose on Monday, more Houston-area charging stations are being trashed, leaving electric vehicle drivers scrambling to turn on the power.

KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry visited the Yale Street Marketplace Supercharger, the latest charging station to be looted.

The chargers are operational again and have been working all evening. This morning’s scene was a different story, as Tesla drivers were informed that the station was closed after its two dozen wires were cut.

Israel Robles is one of many Tesla drivers who had to find another outlet.

“It’s really inconvenient, because you plan your destinations based on the possibility of charging along the way,” Robles said.

Here are all the charging stations we know have been affected so far:

1. Kipling Street – Montrose

2. Glenbrook Place, 6300 Telephone Road

3. 10850 Louetta Road – Northwest Harris County

4. Westheimer & Dairy Ashford – West Houston

5. 195 Yale Street – Heights

With this sudden increase in cable cutting, the question of who is committing these crimes – and why – remains unclear.

Some think stealing copper wire could be a motive, but this junkyard owner says these thieves should think again.

Brandi Harleaux owns the South Post Oak Recycling Center, a metal scrapyard in south Houston where thieves might consider selling the insulated copper wire found in a Tesla charging cable.

“There might be people who think they can make a lot of money selling to a recycling facility like ours,” Harleaux said.

At the Harleaux yard, insulated wire costs only 70 cents per pound. So hypothetically, 50 pounds of Tesla charging cable would only be worth $30.

Not only is the potential payout disappointing, but the rigorous documentation process that scrapyards adhere to makes recycling stolen materials particularly risky.

“Here, there are more steps to recycling materials than for a lot of people, to going to the bank,” Harleaux said.

Sellers must sign documents, have their photo taken and even submit their fingerprints. This information is then uploaded to national and local databases. With such strict oversight, Harleaux says targeting charger cables just doesn’t make sense.

“Leave him alone,” she said.

This evening, the motive for these crimes remains unknown. However, earlier this week, the owner of an electric vehicle repair company told KPRC 2 that he believed it was either a copper thief or someone making off with it. takes on electric vehicles.

“I have a feeling they’re going to get caught eventually,” Robles said.

If you have information that could lead to an arrest, you can submit an anonymous tip online to Crime Stoppers of Houston or call 713-222-ADVICE (8477).