Minneapolis and St. Paul together are building out a public EV Hotspot charging network that, when complete, will include about 70 hubs between the two cities where drivers can recharge their batteries. The hubs are outfitted with Level 2 chargers, offering faster charging times than a standard plug-in at home. As they've come online, they have increasingly become a target for thieves.

Officials in Minneapolis say 63 cables have been cut or removed from EV Hotspot chargers since the city started installing its public charging spots. Some of the damaged and stolen cords have been replaced only to be hit again, city spokeswoman Sarah McKenzie said.