Solar panel theft is on the rise in Europe, with Italy and Germany particularly vulnerable to this relatively new form of crime. The thefts are fuelling a new, and lucrative, black market of low cost solar energy, which is growing in the Maghreb countries in particular. In order to protect solar panels from being carried off, a number of new panels have been fitted with anti-theft devices, for example the ‘Pv-Guardian’ by ENEA, which prevents the panel from being used in an unauthorised location.