'Cut EVSE cords found laying on the ground' http://www.westernmassnews.com/story/32863669/greenfield-officials-investigating-recent-vandalism-cases Greenfield officials investigating recent vandalism cases Aug 29, 2016 Samara Abramson Ryan Trowbridge
[video flash / the Town of Greenfield images http://wshm.images.worldnow.com/images/11563999_G.jpg (EVSE) http://wshm.images.worldnow.com/images/11564002_G.jpg (electrical box) ] GREENFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - There has been a recent rash of vandalism in Greenfield and residents might be paying for it. Our cameras were there Monday when a city official found new acts of vandalism. Town officials found the cables cut off an electric car charging station last week. When we met with the central maintenance director today, he found evidence of even more vandalism. "Thursday morning, I came by and found the cords laying on the ground," explained George VanDelinder, Greenfield's central maintenance director. Those cords were used to charge electric cars at a station at Energy Park in downtown Greenfield. "Cleanly cut from the station and the pistol grips that attach to the car were also cut off," VanDelinder added. The electric car charging stations were paid for by a grant from the city and are free for drivers to use. "It is disturbing to have to spend taxpayer money to repair something that we're not charging for to begin with so we don't make any money on this equipment." VanDelinder said. One of the pistol grips was also run over and cracked at the charging station at the Davis Street parking lot. A decorative flower pot on the playground train at Energy Park was also found smashed. VanDelinder noted that repairing the station alone will cost $500. While telling us about the snipped cords at the electric car charging station, VanDelinder found another act of vandalism. "They just took a hammer and whacked that off. They've done that within the last couple of days," VanDelinder added. VanDelinder's day got busier when he realized he's going to need to call an electrician right away. "Most of our boxes are locked or the power's off to them, as was this one, until they got into this box and turned the breaker on," VanDelinder said. VanDelinder explained that sometimes, people use public outlets like those stations to charge their cell phones. Greenfield Mayor William Martin said in a statement, "Some residents are disrespectful to their fellow citizens and juvenile in their behavior. If they are able to read this and their judgment is not so impaired, let them know vandalism does not get a free pass if you’re a teenager, and keep in mind that city property damage by an adult is a crime. We’ll consider the cost to repair or replace these free electric vehicle chargers and then decide whether they will be repaired or removed." Martin added that after consulting with Greenfield Police Chief Robert Haigh and the town's director of central maintenance, George VanDelinder, the decision has been made to secure the charging stations in Greenfield. He also asked Greenfield Police for surveillance video around those stations. “It is hoped we might garner additional information from the video footage and/or at least discourage those who would engage in such antisocial practices. The expected individual and social responsibility most of us anticipate from others seems to be a lost cause. Some residents are disrespectful to their fellow citizens and juvenile in their behavior," Martin added. Video surveillance at Energy Park may also be increased. VanDelinder said that he's waiting on the mayor to investigate further into the vandalism before they make a decision on when they'll fix it, a process he says could take weeks. The cases remain under investigation. [© 2016 Western Mass News] For EVLN EV-newswire posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ {brucedp.0catch.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/Cut-EVSE-cord-vandalism-not-copper-thieves-Greenfield-MA-tp4683647.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
