Solar System Theft could be an inside job
You have taken the plunge to invest in a solar system, just to get it stolen a few weeks later. Yes, in many instances your insurance does cover the expense of replacement, but apart from the inconvenience, your personal safety gets violated when your solar system gets stolen out of your house and your solar panels get stolen from your roof.
The person installing might have been qualified to do the job, but you’ve always felt uneasy throughout the installation. They were not really there through most of the installation and left their workers unsupervised. But it’s all okay because you have solar. Right? Whoops…and it’s gone, no more solar.
Solar system theft is a massive reality that needs to be taken into consideration when choosing your solar system provider.
The situation
This example even though it seems specific it could really be anybody as it’s easy to identify with someone who feels like you’ve checked every box only to be check-mated by thieves or could it be your installer?
With installed solar solution providers growing in leaps and bounds in South Africa and the supply feeling like it’s never enough, people will find a way to increase the supply by “alternative means”. Whether that means taking it from pre-schools or just your home, where there is solar systems it attracts thieves like mosquitoes to light.
This type of crime is by no means specific to South Africa, but rather in all major countries that have had a major increase in home solar adoption. The last few years has seen a major increase in theft of these solar system solotions. From Germany to the UK which has seen a 93% rise in solar panel related crime from 2021/22, it seems it just comes with the territory and will not subside any time soon.
It could be someone you know. Maybe a member of your congregation or the electrician that have always been used by your family. Anything is possible.
Or…
Is it someone who gave you a good price, someone who looked a bit rough around the edges, but you think this is just how these ,”salt-of-the-earth types” look like.
The only problem is that a while later you come home and your panels have been taken from your roof, your inverters and batteries are gone and all that’s left are broken wires and regret.
A Solar Theft Example
NuEco Solar has recently been approached by a client who initially wanted to install an addisional battery to their system. After sending the photo of the existing system, we got a call a week later with the message “I might need more than a battery”. Their entire solar system was stolen in what looks like an inside job. The perpertrators knew exactly where to cut what. Coincidence? Most probably not.
How to avoid this regret
These crimes are growing and they will continue to grow as long as our beautiful country is left in the dark. The importance of trusting the installer you let into your home is of the utmost importance.
“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten”
Benjamin Franklin
