Spotlight - Electricity theft

GlynD

gerdo wrote: »

What does the device that "wee Sammy" fitted actually do? Does it stop the meter, slow it down or wind it backwards?

Is it a permanent fixture or does it have to be removed before the meter reader visits the house?

I cant see how people get away with it unless they never let the meter reader in.

And no I'm not thinking of getting it done !!

He kept referring to the meter being "chipped" and said it was undetectable. He didn't elaborate further.

what was gobsmacking was the number of houses built in South Armagh with devices already installed for fiddling the leccy. who'd of thought eh - South Armagh?

steveymp

The 'Chip" is installed in pay as you go meter, I'm told it reprograms the meter rate, henceforth a fiver would last a month. Power NI, Airtricity and Budget track all top ups for every meter they control, they are perfectly aware that a home which used to top up 40-50 quid a month then goes to a fiver a month has been 'doctored'.

They would be better off allocating funds to catch these !!!!s than passing on the charge to the honest people who pay their way, God knows we could all end up with slightly cheaper leccy that way

GlynD

I thought it would be something like that but I'm no expert on electric meters. Funny enough I had the meter reader here this morning and having just had extensive circuitry work done at my consumer unit with lots of new circuit breakers fitted etc, I had a palpitation for one or two seconds before realising that a cheat wouldn't be so obvious.

qwert_yuiop

darwin-rover wrote: »

Used to work with who came from Forensics. He said he had a magnet taken from a mine that that had been recovered from the bottom of a police car. Stuck it on the bottom of his meter to stop the wheel turning round.
He said one day the leccy man called round to read the meter and he didn't have time to remove the magnet. Leccy man saw it and apparently said "Fair enough" and did nothing about it.

A persistent myth that does the rounds every now and again. Try it yourself. It doesn't work.

darwin-rover

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

A persistent myth that does the rounds every now and again. Try it yourself. It doesn't work.

That's what the guy told me to my face.

I have a keypad meter so cant try it.

attritioner

darwin-rover wrote: »

Used to work with who came from Forensics. He said he had a magnet taken from a mine that that had been recovered from the bottom of a police car. Stuck it on the bottom of his meter to stop the wheel turning round.
He said one day the leccy man called round to read the meter and he didn't have time to remove the magnet. Leccy man saw it and apparently said "Fair enough" and did nothing about it.

They actually showed an example of this in the programme. I can't tell if it actually slowed the meter down but it had pulled the bezel surrounding the digits on the meter to the side, and it was very obvious that tampering had occurred.

Mistral001

Things that I did not know until I saw this program.

1. Various ways of fiddling an electric meter
3. That you can do it and you will get away with a just a warning if you are caught once.

Now if there is an increase in electricity theft as a result of this programme will anybody be surprised? I will not be doing it but how many people after being furnished with this information will?

Oh and by the way thanks to the lady from the electricity company for informing us all that it was immoral to steal.

tommie

GlynD wrote: »

what was gobsmacking was the number of houses built in South Armagh with devices already installed for fiddling the leccy.

doesn`t this smack of discrimination?!

why can`t all new-builds province wide have this desirable money saving feature?
Hope to see the Housing Executive update all tenants asap

GlynD

tommie wrote: »

doesn`t this smack of discrimination?!

why can`t all new-builds province wide have this desirable money saving feature?
Hope to see the Housing Executive update all tenants asap

Yes, and install diesel laundering plants throughout the Province.

Artofdookie

I didnt know it was as much hassle, i thought i could just send the young boy up the pole at the back with a set of jump leads?