EV Charger Cable Theft: How CCTV Monitoring Can Protect Commercial Charging Sites

Commercial EV charging stations are becoming an important part of Australia’s transport and business infrastructure. Shopping centres, strata buildings, workplaces, hotels, service stations, councils, depots and car parks are all installing EV chargers to support customers, residents, staff and fleet vehicles.

As EV charging infrastructure grows, these sites can also become targets for theft, vandalism and tampering. Recent reports have highlighted thieves targeting EV charging cables for copper, leaving chargers damaged, unavailable and costly to repair.

For businesses and property managers, the issue is not only the value of the cable. The real cost can include charger downtime, frustrated customers, emergency repairs, safety concerns, loss of revenue and reputational damage.

In this guide, we explain why commercial EV chargers need security planning, how CCTV monitoring can help protect charging sites, and how alarm monitoring, CCTV verification and response procedures can reduce risk.

Learn more about CTC Communications’ 24/7 alarm monitoring, alarm and CCTV integration, and business security systems.

Why EV Charger Security Is Becoming More Important

EV chargers are often installed in publicly accessible or semi-public areas. While this makes them convenient for drivers, it can also expose them to after-hours security risks.

Commercial EV chargers may be located in:

• Shopping centre car parks
• Office buildings
• Strata apartment complexes
• Hotels and accommodation sites
• Council facilities
• Public car parks
• Service stations
• Fleet depots
• Warehouses and logistics sites
• Commercial forecourts and visitor parking areas

Many of these areas are busy during the day but much quieter at night. That creates an opportunity for vandalism, tampering, copper theft and damage if the site is not properly monitored.

The Real Cost Is More Than the Cable

When an EV charger cable is stolen or damaged, the cost is not limited to the replacement cable. A damaged charger may be offline for days or longer while repairs, parts, technician visits and safety checks are arranged.

For commercial sites, this can create several problems:

• EV charging bays become unavailable
• Customers, staff or residents cannot charge when expected
• Revenue may be lost from paid charging services
• Businesses may receive complaints
• Property managers may need urgent repairs
• Damaged equipment may create electrical safety concerns
• Repeated incidents may increase operating costs
• Insurance claims may require supporting evidence

This is why EV charger security should be considered part of a broader commercial asset-protection strategy.

Why EV Chargers Can Be Attractive Targets

EV chargers can be attractive to offenders because they are often located outside, contain valuable components and may be accessible after business hours. Some sites also have limited lighting, limited natural surveillance or no active monitoring.

Risk factors may include:

• Public access after hours
• Quiet car park locations
• Poor lighting around charger bays
• Limited camera coverage
• No alarm or tamper detection
• No after-hours response plan
• Remote or unattended sites
• Chargers positioned away from the main building
• No signage warning of CCTV or monitoring

The goal of a security system is not only to record an incident after it happens. A well-designed setup can help deter suspicious activity, verify events faster and support a clearer response.

How CCTV Monitoring Helps Protect EV Chargers

CCTV monitoring gives property owners and site managers better visibility over EV charging areas. Cameras can be used to monitor charger bays, surrounding car park zones, approach paths and areas where people may linger after hours.

CCTV monitoring can help with:

• Checking activity around chargers after hours
• Verifying whether a person is near the charger bay
• Identifying suspicious loitering or repeated activity
• Recording footage of vandalism or attempted theft
• Supporting police reports or insurance claims
• Helping keyholders understand what has happened before attending
• Reducing uncertainty after an alarm or motion event
• Improving response decisions for commercial sites

For higher-risk locations, CCTV can be combined with alarm monitoring and a nominated escalation plan.

CCTV Verification vs Standard Recording

Standard CCTV recording is useful after an event, but CCTV verification can be more valuable when a site needs a faster response. Verification means footage or live camera views are used to help confirm what caused an alert.

How Alarm Monitoring Supports EV Charger Security

Commercial alarm monitoring can support EV charger protection by creating a structured response process when an alarm or tamper event occurs. Instead of relying only on a camera recording, alarm monitoring can help ensure the right people are notified according to the site’s action plan.

A monitored EV charger security setup may support:

• After-hours alarm notifications
• Keyholder contact procedures
• Custom escalation paths
• Response instructions for suspicious activity
• Audit trails and event records
• Integration with CCTV and access control where suitable
• Patrol or technician response where arranged
• Improved awareness when equipment is damaged or tampered with

For commercial properties, the response plan matters as much as the equipment. The system should make it clear who is contacted, what areas are checked, when escalation is required and how footage is reviewed.

Best Camera Locations for EV Charger Monitoring

Camera placement should be planned around the charging bays and the way people move through the site. The goal is to cover the charger, the approach path and the surrounding activity without creating unnecessary privacy issues.

Useful camera locations may include:

• Direct view of EV charger bays
• Car park entry and exit points
• Pedestrian approach paths
• Nearby building entries
• Payment or user interface areas
• Driveways and loading areas
• External walls where chargers are mounted
• Fleet charging rows
• Strata garage or basement entries
• Areas with low natural surveillance

Camera angle, mounting height, lighting and night performance are important. A camera that is poorly positioned may not provide useful footage when an incident occurs.

What a Commercial EV Charger Security Setup Can Include

Every site is different. A small workplace charger may need a simpler setup than a public fast-charging site, strata car park or fleet depot. The best solution depends on risk, location, operating hours and response requirements.

A commercial EV charger security system may include:

• CCTV cameras covering charger bays
• High-resolution cameras for clear event review
• Night-vision or low-light cameras
• Motion detection or analytics where suitable
• Alarm sensors or tamper detection where compatible
• Lighting around charging areas
• Warning signage
• Network video recorder or cloud video pathway where supported
• Remote viewing app access
• Alarm monitoring or CCTV verification support
• Keyholder and escalation procedures
• Regular system health checks

The system should be designed to deter activity, capture useful evidence and support a practical response.

Which Sites Should Consider EV Charger Monitoring?

EV charger monitoring is especially important for sites where chargers are exposed, unattended or important to customer service and business continuity.

CCTV Monitoring Can Help Reduce Downtime

When charging infrastructure is damaged, fast awareness is important. If the issue is not discovered until the next morning or after a customer complaint, the charger may remain offline longer than necessary.

CCTV monitoring and alarm integration may help by:

• Identifying suspicious activity sooner
• Helping site managers understand what happened
• Allowing keyholders to make better decisions before attending
• Supporting faster reporting to police, insurers or service providers
• Helping technicians understand the nature of the damage
• Reducing uncertainty around repeat incidents

Faster verification can help reduce the time between an incident occurring and the correct response being arranged.

Why Lighting and Signage Matter

CCTV works best when it is supported by good lighting and clear signage. Poorly lit charging bays may reduce image quality and make after-hours monitoring less effective.

Useful measures may include:

• Lighting around charger bays
• Cameras with strong low-light performance
• Visible CCTV signage
• Clear site rules for after-hours access
• Lighting at pedestrian approaches
• Regular checks to ensure lights and cameras are working

Visible security measures can also act as a deterrent by making the site look more controlled and less vulnerable.

EV Charger Security for Strata Buildings

Strata buildings are increasingly adding EV chargers to shared garages and visitor areas. These sites can be complex because multiple residents, visitors, contractors and cleaners may have access.

For strata EV charger security, consider:

• Cameras covering shared charger bays
• Garage entry and exit camera coverage
• Access control for basement or car park entry
• Clear rules for charger use
• Incident reporting procedures for residents
• Monitoring options for after-hours events
• Footage access procedures for authorised committee members or building managers

Good security planning can help reduce disputes, support insurance claims and protect shared infrastructure.

EV Charger Security for Businesses and Fleet Sites

Businesses and fleet sites may rely on chargers to keep vehicles operational. Damage to charging infrastructure can affect deliveries, service vehicles, staff transport or customer-facing charging services.

For business and fleet charging sites, consider:

• CCTV over all charger bays
• Camera coverage of vehicle access points
• After-hours alarm monitoring
• Access control for restricted areas
• Lighting for overnight charging
• Clear escalation procedures
• Maintenance alerts and routine checks
• Recorded footage for incident investigation

For commercial operations, charger downtime can quickly become a business continuity issue.

How CCTV Verification Supports Keyholders

If an alarm or camera event occurs after hours, a keyholder may be asked to attend. CCTV verification can help avoid sending someone into an unknown situation without context.

Before attendance, CCTV may help confirm:

• Whether a person is still on site
• Whether a vehicle is nearby
• Whether the charger appears damaged
• Whether the event may be harmless or accidental
• Whether emergency services or patrol response may be more appropriate
• Whether the area is safe to approach

Keyholders should never be placed at unnecessary risk. Visual verification supports safer and more informed decisions.

Monitoring Does Not Replace Physical Protection

CCTV and alarm monitoring are important, but they are only one part of EV charger security. Physical protection should also be considered, especially for exposed or high-risk sites.

Depending on the site, physical protection may include:

• Good lighting
• Visible camera coverage
• Protective bollards
• Controlled vehicle access where practical
• Secure cabinet positioning
• Routine inspections
• Clear signage
• Approved cable protection options where suitable

The best results usually come from combining physical deterrents, camera coverage, alarm events and a response plan.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

EV charger security should be considered before the first incident, not after repeated damage has already occurred.

Avoid these common mistakes:

• Installing EV chargers without reviewing camera coverage
• Assuming a car park camera automatically covers the charger clearly
• Not checking night-time image quality
• Leaving chargers in poorly lit areas
• Not having a clear response plan after hours
• Not using signage to show CCTV or monitoring is in place
• Not checking whether footage is recording properly
• Not reviewing access control for shared garages or restricted areas
• Waiting for repeated damage before improving security
• Not linking charger security into the broader business security system

Questions to Ask Before Installing Commercial EV Chargers

If your business, strata building or commercial site is planning EV charging infrastructure, security should be reviewed as part of the installation plan.

Ask these questions:

• Will the chargers be accessible after hours?
• Can cameras clearly see the charger bays?
• Is the area well lit at night?
• Can suspicious activity be verified remotely?
• Who is contacted if a camera or alarm event occurs?
• Is there a keyholder or patrol response plan?
• Will the charger area need access control?
• Can the existing CCTV system support the new charging area?
• Is footage retained long enough for incident investigation?
• Does the security system support future expansion?

Professional Installation Is Recommended

Commercial EV charger security needs more than a camera pointed at a car park. The camera angle, lighting, network connection, recording setup, alarm integration and response plan all affect how useful the system will be after an incident.

Professional security design can help with:

• Assessing EV charger site risks
• Positioning cameras for useful coverage
• Improving night-time visibility
• Integrating cameras with alarms where suitable
• Setting up remote viewing and event alerts
• Planning monitoring and escalation procedures
• Checking existing CCTV and network capacity
• Supporting future charger or camera expansion
• Reducing blind spots around car parks and shared areas

Why Choose CTC Communications?

CTC Communications provides business security systems, CCTV installation, alarm monitoring and integrated security solutions for commercial sites across Sydney. Our team can help businesses, strata managers and property owners improve security around EV chargers, car parks and other exposed assets.

Reasons to choose CTC Communications:

• Over 30 years of security industry experience
• Commercial alarm monitoring options
• CCTV installation for car parks and business sites
• Alarm and CCTV integration for visual verification
• Business security systems for retail, strata, offices and commercial properties
• Access control options for restricted areas
• Custom escalation paths and response planning
• Professional installation available across Sydney
• Australia-wide product supply
• Advice on protecting external assets and high-risk areas

Our Recommendation

Commercial EV chargers should be treated as valuable exposed assets. They are often installed in car parks, public-facing areas and shared spaces where after-hours activity may go unnoticed without the right security measures.

For better protection, we recommend combining CCTV coverage, lighting, signage, alarm or tamper events where suitable, monitoring options and a clear response plan. CCTV verification can help confirm what is happening, while alarm monitoring can support a structured response when an event occurs.

If your business, strata building or commercial site is installing EV chargers, now is the time to review camera coverage and monitoring options before damage, downtime or repeated callouts become a problem.

Frequently Asked Questions