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The surge in thefts has occurred in conjunction with the increase in sales of new-generation electric vehicles.
Criminals operate both day and night: in just a few minutes, they manage to disassemble parked hybrid or electric cars and steal the very expensive batteries, with a commercial value reaching up to 10,000 euros in the case of SUVs and luxury electric vehicles. A significant financial damage to the owners that have not signed a specific insurance contract covering battery theft incidents.
MULTIPURPOSE ELECTRIC BATTERIES
Batteries powering EVs, PHEVs and HEVs are composed of lithium cells with long lifespan and high energy storage capacity. These characteristics make them suitable not only for car replacement parts but also for other applications, such as powering photovoltaic or wind power systems.
This criminal trend was initially observed in the United States, especially in San Francisco — where the first crime reports related to lithium-ion batteries theft appeared back in 2018 — with later worldwide adoption, also involving the Italian region. Although a decrease occured in 2020 (due to the pandemic lockouts), battery related thefts hit growth once again from early 2021.
In particular, thieves discovered various methods to deal with the bolt’s anti-theft system which is difficult to unscrew without specific keys — by using pliers, wire cutters, flashlights, gloves, breaking tools, and various mechanical utensils. Criminals must be able to disconnect the battery from the car’s electrical system to avoid the risk of shocks or short circuits. Once access to the battery is granted, they must then lift and transport a pack of battery that usually weights more than 100 kg. Not so simply one might says.
In Italy, the cities of Rome, Milan and Naples hold the infamous record of complaints from drivers who found their cars “stripped” of the battery pack which is usually installed under the rear seats. Relevant cases have also been reported in Turin and Verona.
Garages and private boxes are generally considered safe places to park expensive cars: hi-tech thief gangs target these exact places.
Recent investigations by Lazio’s road Police uncovered an international organization of Albanian, Pole, Spaniard, and Bulgarian criminals.