Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) personnel were on hand at the Buckley Bay rest stop Wednesday, repairing damage done to the five electric vehicle charging stations at the stop. Someone had severed the cable ends to all five charging stations, rendering them all inoperable.

While repairs began Wednesday, MOTI told The Comox Valley Record it could be a number of weeks before the rest stop is fully operational.

B次元官网网址淪ome machines were repaired as we had the replacement cables available; however, a couple of cables are on order. We expect them to arrive in two to four weeks,B次元官网网址� a MOTI spokesperson said, in response to an email from Black Press.

Comox Valley Regional District Area A director Daniel Arbour was onsite Wednesday to check out the damage. He said the crime is rather senseless.

B次元官网网址淭he cost of whatB次元官网网址檚 been stolen is not that high, so itB次元官网网址檚 a question of whether itB次元官网网址檚 just basic vandalism, or theft,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he technician told me that even if they took the entire length of cable, weB次元官网网址檙e only talking about maybe $30 worth of [copper].B次元官网网址�

While the value of the copper is marginal, the cost to repair the damages is significant.

MOTI estimates the total cost of repairs will fall somewhere in the $8,000-$10,000 range.

Although MOTI is calling this an isolated incident, Michael Stanyer, program co-ordinator at Plug In BC, said that there have been other instances of plug-ins being vandalized. Stanyer said usually itB次元官网网址檚 the entire length of the cable cut, possibly for the copper.

B次元官网网址淓ither way, itB次元官网网址檚 frustratingB次元官网网址� and other charging stations, the same thing has happened,B次元官网网址� said Arbour. B次元官网网址淪o itB次元官网网址檚 a little bit disheartening. If itB次元官网网址檚 theft, itB次元官网网址檚 a big risk to take. And if itB次元官网网址檚 just vandalism itB次元官网网址檚 sad to think some people would have an issue with the whole climate change agenda and do something like that to voice their frustrationsB次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 not the way to make your views known and itB次元官网网址檚 really sad for those of us who work really hard to try and build the right infrastructure for electric vehicles.B次元官网网址�

There are security cameras in the area, but the criminal(s) cut the power supply before vandalizing the property, so the surveillance cameras were also rendered inoperable.

B次元官网网址淭he ministry will be adding vandal-proof power boxes and a separate power source for the surveillance camera,B次元官网网址� said MOTI in the email response.

MOTI said RCMP have been notified of the incident and B次元官网网址渁re watching the area closely.B次元官网网址�

The Record has reached out to the RCMP for a response.