Kelly Barnes, Senior Intelligence Analyst, DeterTech examines the rising incidence of thefts from solar farms.

Just like the construction and rail sectors, solar farms are a prime target for criminal organisations seeking financial gain.

Located in remote areas away from urban surveillance, these sites are at high risk of disruption from illegal trespass, vandalism and theft.    

Our data reveals a concerning trend: reported thefts from solar farms almost doubled comparing 2021 to 2022 and increased by a further 24 per cent when comparing 2022 to 2023.

The high rate of thefts shows no sign of falling in 2024 and the significant increases in the price of copper in Q2 2024, will be of concern for the industry as this attracts further criminality into the renewable sector.

This is largely because of the vast amounts of copper cabling present on solar farms.  

Investing in proven methods for intrusion deterrence and detection will be crucial in the months and years ahead.

However, this must be approached in a strategic manner and the risks must be carefully analysed.  

Solar farms need to consider where the threats are the greatest, how they are evolving and how best can they protect themselves against them. 

Solar farm theft trends 

At DeterTech, we operate a crime intelligence portal for the police and critical infrastructure companies, monitoring crime trends across the UK.

Our data on the volume and types of incidents reported to our Crime Intelligence function provide valuable insights into how criminals operate.

This information empowers our clients to make informed decisions and respond more effectively to such threats.  

According to our data, solar farms have experienced a 66 per cent increase in reported cable theft incidents in Q1 2024, compared to Q1 2022, largely driven by the high resale value of the copper inside.

Solar farms in the south of England have been the hardest hit, where thefts have constituted massive quantities of cable, up to 50 km in some cases.

This is financially devastating for victims, as it not only is costly to replace the cable, but also results in a loss of revenue as it is time consuming to source the cable and employ appropriately qualified engineers to reinstate the assets.

Higher insurance premiums inevitably follow.  

Another key theme that we are seeing is thefts from solar farms under construction, as at these locations there tends to be large number of panels on pallets and cables on cable drums, which makes them easier to steal in large quantities.  

Repeat victimisation is also prevalent in the industry.

Once a solar farm has been targeted, it is highly likely to be targeted again as offenders have knowledge of the existing security measures on site and how to circumnavigate them.

Offenders will either target the site straight away if it is a large solar farm or they will wait until the stolen cable, or panels have been replaced.

According to our data, 50% of solar farms that have suffered thefts or intrusions twice, will continue to experience further intrusions.   

Predict, deter and detect 

Unlike small city centre sites benefiting from local CCTV and high foot traffic, solar farms require specialised security solutions due to their expansive and remote locations.  

Solar farms are therefore advised to work with an end-to-end security provider that offers site visits and the development of a bespoke security plan for each site as part of its service.

They should be able to advise on the creation of a networked and layered approach to site security that isn’t solely reliant on any one single security measure.   

Though every site is different, here is a breakdown of deterrent and detection-based methodologies and technologies that should feature in an organisation’s site security strategy. 

Predicting crime 

Criminals tend to repeat methods and techniques that have proven successful in similar locations.

Monitoring incidents at other sites nearby is therefore highly beneficial in refining your strategy.

Formal reporting of incidents also aids police and the industry in preventing and identifying patterns and trends, enhancing the chances of securing successful convictions of criminals. 

Deterring theft 

It is recommended to identify the most likely intrusion points to your site, both on foot and by vehicle.

It’s unlikely it will be possible to definitively close off every point of access.

However, simply by making life more difficult, it is possible to increase the odds of thieves moving on to find other less risky targets.

Plus, it helps to understand where to prioritise the available resources for the deployment of more advanced intruder detection.  

The deployment of visually verified alarm systems, remotely monitored by SIA licenced operatives in a BSI-approved Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) is proving effective in deterring intruders.

As soon as the team in the ARC can verify that there is an intruder on site, they will make their first response escalation call to a pre-agreed list of key holders or to a mobile security response, ensuring the best possible response to incidents on sites.

DeterTech’s own ARC has an industry-leading response time of just 47 seconds from activation of the unit through to visual verification and the ARC team making the call.  

Detecting criminals 

Forensic marking and trackers further deter theft and enhance the ability of the police to convict criminals and trace stolen items back to their original owners.

SmartWater is the only Secured by Design certified product with a 100% conviction rate in contested court cases.  

Once applied it is almost impossible to remove and just a speck of SmartWater is required to irrefutably identify stolen property, trace ownership and convict criminals.

This raises the risks for all individuals willing to handle stolen property and is therefore widely feared.

It acts as a deterrent not just for the thieves themselves but also for the rogue scrap dealers who enable them by purchasing and disposing of their ill-gotten gains.

There is no incentive for thieves to steal equipment or materials that they can’t sell, leading to a significant reduction in theft in a variety of environments in which it has been used.  

Finally, whatever combination of solutions is used, it should leave individuals in no doubt that intruder detection systems are in place and that offenders will be prosecuted by ensuring clear signage is prominently displayed around the site.

The best intruder detection systems are preceded by their reputation, such that their deterrent value alone wards off incidents.   

In summary, there is no single answer to achieving comprehensive site security.

Rather, a layered approach should be relied upon that builds prediction, deterrence and detection into one holistic plan. 

This article was originally published in the August Edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.