Was it the gardeners? Help me solve this mystery please

[Ippagoggy]

Our gardener visited about a week ago for a maintenance visit. However, just the other day I noticed that all 4 of our solar powered garden lights were no longer turning on at night. Each unit consists of a solar panel wired to 4 lights, and we have 4 of these (roughly 1 per flower bed). Upon inspection, every single unit has at least 1 cut/nicked wire. The picture attached showed the location of the cut wires (note that they are all close to the 'borders' of the flower beds).

I'm super confused. I can't be sure if it was the gardeners because I only noticed it a few days later. I'm wondering if some green-thumbed mumsnetters might be able to help with some detective work in identifying whether this is a negligent gardener or likely to be some vermin that decided to feast on ALL of our cables.

Some other details:

• We've had these gardeners for over 2 years (quarterly visits) and had the lights for longer. This has never happened before.
• We have no cctv/ring footage.
• I find it really interesting that the damaged wires all really close to the borders of the flower beds as opposed to deeper into the flower bed. It is partly for this reason I'm leaning towards it being the gardener.

Thanks

Or a pissed off neighbour who is fed up of you illuminating the area at night. For all of them to have been done it would seem to be deliberate.

Night time lighting is seriously antisocial and is bad for the environment (confuses nocturnal insects and animals)

Thanks. Agree that with all 4 of them damaged it seems deliberate.

But I don't think it's the neighbours as at least 1 other one has nighttime lighting. Plus, our most immediate neighbours have always been the kind to let us know if there are any grievances so very sure they would have told us and give us a chance to rectify things.

Odds are it was the gardener

Or some pissed off hedgehog that was trying to get to sleep

Did they mow or edge the grass? Seems likely if all cuts are near the edge of the border.

I would have said strimmer damage but the wires look to be under the solar units...

Therefore I'd guess rats or mice. But they look like slices not chew marks.

So I'm going back to strimmer damage or a sharp hoe. It could be a neighbour, and if it was wind chimes, definitely.

Sorry I'm no help 😂

Foxes chewed through our broadband cable.

Hedgehogs don't sleep at night

What @inkblackheart and @KnickerlessParsons said.
Lights in gardens look pretty........ but are awful for wildlife.
Light Pollution (nationalgeographic.org)

Advancing responsible outdoor lighting | DarkSky International

Was it the same individuals from the gardening company as before, or different people? Were the wires buried under earth?

Strimmer. Chops through everything it comes near.

I know. But lots of animals do.

Did the gardener tidy the edge of the lawn with one of those half-moon edging tools? I googled to check I was thinking of the right tool, & one listing says it slices through the soil - so maybe cables too.

No, they try and go out to find food in the dark, and light pollution is a big issue for them.

Those don't look as though the cuts were made with wire cutters or pliers, so it's unlikely it was done deliberately. Looks like strimmer / edging tool / shears damage to me.

Thanks all. Thanks also for pointing out the negative impact on wildlife. It seems like common sense but I actually had no idea! Did a bit of reading and I will take this opportunity NOT to buy replacements.

That said, still flummoxed by how this happened!