Charging station for charging a vehicle, comprising a system for theft and vandalism recognition and warning comprising a control and computing unit which has an evaluation program and a plurality of differing sensor elements (16, 18, 22, 24, 26) which are designed to detect states of the charging station, at least one unit of each differing sensor element (16, 18, 22, 24, 26) being provided and respective sensor elements (16, 18, 22, 24, 26) each being coupled to the control and computing unit so that respective states of the sensor elements (16, 18, 22, 24, 26) can be detected and/or controlled, and which control and computing unit has at least one actuator element for outputting a warning signal, characterized in that in the activated state of the system, at least one inclination sensor and at least one motion sensor are activated so that a relevant change in state of the at least one inclination sensor and/or the at least one motion sensor can be detected by means of the control and computing unit, environment recognition (S256, S262) taking place on the basis of a change in state of the at least one inclination sensor and/or the at least one motion sensor, which change in state is detected by means of the control and computing unit, and, if a motion is recognized by means of the motion sensor, lighting of the charging station and an acoustic and/or optical alarm of the charging station are activated (S258, S260) and activation (S270, S272, S274) of an acceleration sensor, a shock sensor and/or a brightness sensor of the charging station takes place, so that an evaluation (S276, S278) of the activated acceleration sensor, shock sensor and/or brightness sensor can be carried out by means of the control and computing unit to recognize a mechanical effect on the charging station and, depending on a result of the evaluation of the activated acceleration sensor, shock sensor and/or brightness sensor, an action routine provided for this purpose and stored in the evaluation program can be triggered if at least one sensor value of the activated acceleration sensor, shock sensor and/or brightness sensor is outside a predetermined threshold value, the action routine comprising activating a communication unit and transmitting information about the current state of the charging station to an operator, and the action routine further comprising activating the at least one actuator element in order to output the warning signal and switching off power electronics of the charging station. characterized in that in the activated state of the system, at least one inclination sensor and at least one motion sensor are activated so that a relevant change in state of the at least one inclination sensor and/or the at least one motion sensor can be detected by means of the control and computing unit, environment recognition (S256, S262) taking place on the basis of a change in state of the at least one inclination sensor and/or the at least one motion sensor, which change in state is detected by means of the control and computing unit, and, if a motion is recognized by means of the motion sensor, lighting of the charging station and an acoustic and/or optical alarm of the charging station are activated (S258, S260) and activation (S270, S272, S274) of an acceleration sensor, a shock sensor and/or a brightness sensor of the charging station takes place, so that an evaluation (S276, S278) of the activated acceleration sensor, shock sensor and/or brightness sensor can be carried out by means of the control and computing unit to recognize a mechanical effect on the charging station and, depending on a result of the evaluation of the activated acceleration sensor, shock sensor and/or brightness sensor, an action routine provided for this purpose and stored in the evaluation program can be triggered if at least one sensor value of the activated acceleration sensor, shock sensor and/or brightness sensor is outside a predetermined threshold value, the action routine comprising activating a communication unit and transmitting information about the current state of the charging station to an operator, and the action routine further comprising activating the at least one actuator element in order to output the warning signal and switching off power electronics of the charging station.