Crime analysts at DeterTech have sounded alarms on the increased organised criminal threat to solar farms in the UK.

According to DeterTech, there have already been eleven reported incidents throughout March and April 2025, compared to just three in February 2025.

The reported crimes during March and April 2025 were recorded across seven separate locations in Dorset, Sussex, Essex, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire.

The eleven incidents comprised of six thefts, two instances of hostile reconnaissance, two reported suspicious vehicles and one confirmed intrusion.

String cable at its most vulnerable

DeterTech’s analyst’s report that vulnerable sites that fail to undergo immediate and visible security upgrades are highly likely to be repeatedly targeted, with one location suffering three break-ins in the space of a month with a total of £90k in stolen string cable.

Recent incidents have also highlighted that organised gangs have increased in sophistication as they develop strategies such as – casing out prospective sites and diverting on-site security personnel.

For example, in Derbyshire, thieves lured mobile patrols to a nearby location as part of a deliberate and co-ordinated distraction operation.

This led to the theft of a significant volume of string cable from the original site they had been guarding. 

“Unwanted criminal attention”

Kelly Barnes, Senior Crime Analyst, DeterTech said: “Solar crime comes in waves and we are very clearly now entering a peak period when additional safeguards are advisable.

“It is imperative that fence lines are checked regularly, CCTV cameras are functioning correctly and the associated alarm monitoring centres can deal with the threats posed. 

“Many solar farms have external tracks running near the fence lines that can be accessed via farm gates owned by the farmers who leased the land for the solar installation.

“These should also be checked as the removal of padlocks and chains is often a sign that a site is receiving unwanted criminal attention,” Barnes finalised.

DeterTech prompts solar farmers to continue reporting

May through to August are the most productive months for solar generation in the UK and therefore also the most costly time to incur downtime and disruption.

Given the current crime trends, solar operators are advised to take additional precautions at this time.

Operators are also reminded to continue reporting all incidents of theft, suspicious vehicle and hostile reconnaissance to DeterTech and Opal, the national police intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime.

This can be done by contacting Crime.Intelligence@detertech.com or Opal@Opal.police.uk.