Charger dilemma to be sorted following break-in

A situation where some electric vehicle owners have been breaking into a fresh food market’s private car park after hours to use its charger looks to have been resolved.

A code for a combination lock will be available to most EV drivers wanting to use the charger after hours, Christchurch’s Raeward Fresh Harewood Rd owner Justin Blackler says.

He hopes users will “treat it like a farm gate and close it afterwards”.

Blackler says the private car park was locked after hours following incidents which included a small fire, people parking cars for up to weeks while travelling overseas from the nearby airport, the car park being used as a driver training area – and more.

But the gate has been lifted off its hinges or locks removed on several occasions by people wanting to access the charger after hours.

Blackler found that action surprising.

“I think EV owners are a fairly sensible kind of people because of their choice of vehicle,” he says.

Blackler has been liaising with an EV owners group representative to sort the problem out for all concerned.

He says the charger was installed before he took over the market’s ownership.

“I think in hindsight whoever installed this charger should have looked at a more public place where free access is available all the time.”

After the most recent incident he even considered removing the charger, but he wanted something which worked for all parties involved.

The person who broke in to use the charger may have been captured on CCTV and their details recorded on the charger.

But, as the incident involved little damage, the matter is unlikely to be taken much further.

“It’s more about the principle, as people should respect private property,” Blackler says.