joe tedesco
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, Massachusetts
Owner was Stealing Electricity, Caught Redhanded!!
- Thread starter joe tedesco
- Start date
- Status
Ed MacLaren
Senior Member
Re: Owner was Stealing Electricity, Caught Redhanded!!
He didn't do much to try to hide the cable. He could have at least run it down a downspout.
I once talked to our local utility fraud guy about some of his toughest cases. He found one that looked like this. Looks like the home owner had the co-operation of an electrician.
Ed
He didn't do much to try to hide the cable. He could have at least run it down a downspout.
I once talked to our local utility fraud guy about some of his toughest cases. He found one that looked like this. Looks like the home owner had the co-operation of an electrician.
Ed
G
Guest
Guest
Re: Owner was Stealing Electricity, Caught Redhanded!!
How many plants was s/he growing "on the side"? I've heard that bootleggers will bootleg the power so they don't get busted by using too much power. It takes a lot of power to grow plants without sunlight-- or a lot of power to run the blowers for other illegal products. That's what they tell me. Did you turn him/her in?
[ September 19, 2003, 12:57 AM: Message edited by: awwt ]
How many plants was s/he growing "on the side"? I've heard that bootleggers will bootleg the power so they don't get busted by using too much power. It takes a lot of power to grow plants without sunlight-- or a lot of power to run the blowers for other illegal products. That's what they tell me. Did you turn him/her in?
[ September 19, 2003, 12:57 AM: Message edited by: awwt ]
joe tedesco
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, Massachusetts
Re: Owner was Stealing Electricity, Caught Redhanded!!
I believe that these pictures were taken in Arizona. This theft was found by a meter reader!
I believe that these pictures were taken in Arizona. This theft was found by a meter reader!
brian john
Senior Member
- Location
- Leesburg, VA
Re: Owner was Stealing Electricity, Caught Redhanded!!
We had a case in Virginia, where the homeowner tapped the underground utility feeder to his house ahead of the meter. He fed his HVAC system and a few select loads. 12 years after he built the house NOVEC (an REC) was changing from analog to digital meters.
When the tech pulled the meter he noticed the AC compressor was running.
When the homeowner returned that evening his paved driveway was dug up and the local sheriff was there with the utility. The homeowner worked out a settlement with the utility, where he would pay back at an estimated rate the 12 years of stolen electricity do community service and they would publish his story in the Coop magazine.
We had a case in Virginia, where the homeowner tapped the underground utility feeder to his house ahead of the meter. He fed his HVAC system and a few select loads. 12 years after he built the house NOVEC (an REC) was changing from analog to digital meters.
When the tech pulled the meter he noticed the AC compressor was running.
When the homeowner returned that evening his paved driveway was dug up and the local sheriff was there with the utility. The homeowner worked out a settlement with the utility, where he would pay back at an estimated rate the 12 years of stolen electricity do community service and they would publish his story in the Coop magazine.
Ed MacLaren
Senior Member
Re: Owner was Stealing Electricity, Caught Redhanded!!
Ed
I hope he kept one hand in his pocket and wore rubber hip-waders while he was making the tap connections down in the hole.
Ed
cselectric
Senior Member
- Location
- Wisconsin
Re: Owner was Stealing Electricity, Caught Redhanded!!
Interesting. We have a homeowner in another thread telling us that electrical work is easy and anyone can do it. I guess htis proves his point... or maybe it proves ours.
Interesting. We have a homeowner in another thread telling us that electrical work is easy and anyone can do it. I guess htis proves his point... or maybe it proves ours.
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: Owner was Stealing Electricity, Caught Redhanded!!
A few years ago I was repairing a service that was torn down by a tree. I had been working in the back yard for a few hours when I heard some kids next door I just looked over and my eyes caught site of a pair of jumper cables hanging out of the meter on this duplex. Now here are kids playing all around and a pair of old 12 volt regular jumper cables with bare wire in some places. Boy I couldn't get 911 dialed fast enough. apparently the POCO had turned off the power for non-payment and the renter figured they they didn't have the right to do that. but after they (police) hauled him off to jail the POCO cut the drop from the pole.
A few years ago I was repairing a service that was torn down by a tree. I had been working in the back yard for a few hours when I heard some kids next door I just looked over and my eyes caught site of a pair of jumper cables hanging out of the meter on this duplex. Now here are kids playing all around and a pair of old 12 volt regular jumper cables with bare wire in some places. Boy I couldn't get 911 dialed fast enough. apparently the POCO had turned off the power for non-payment and the renter figured they they didn't have the right to do that. but after they (police) hauled him off to jail the POCO cut the drop from the pole.
G
Guest
Guest
Re: Owner was Stealing Electricity, Caught Redhanded!!
My story strays a bit, but is triggered by Brian John's story:
A slippery guy I know installed a solar hot water heating system for a client. It was a big system with many panels on a cement tile roof. The client complained that the system wasn't getting hot. Mr. Slippery came over and with the key under the mat (the owner left it out by prior arrangement) let himself in and installed (hid) a 240-volt in line electric instant hot water heater under the floor in line with the main hot water line. The owner was happy. One day he noticed that his guest bathroom (it was a very big house) had luke warm water while all other hot water taps were at 140 degrees. Turns out the inline bootleg instant heater was installed just beyond the first bathroom. You'd think the story was over-- but it turns out when Mr. Slippery did the work he also brought the original contract (3-part-carbon) and snooped around the files of the homeowner until he found the homeowners copy of the contract. Mr. Slippery added the instant water heater to the original contract as part of the original scope of work.
Turns out the homeowner had a recirc system on his hot water system (with a recirc pump). The house was on a well and the check valve had frozen open on the recirc line. The whole problem could have been solved by replacing the check $10 valve. Instead Mr. Sneaky did a bootleg job and doctored a contract. Mr. Sneaky ended up tearing out the whole system and refunding all the money. He should have done time!
My story strays a bit, but is triggered by Brian John's story:
A slippery guy I know installed a solar hot water heating system for a client. It was a big system with many panels on a cement tile roof. The client complained that the system wasn't getting hot. Mr. Slippery came over and with the key under the mat (the owner left it out by prior arrangement) let himself in and installed (hid) a 240-volt in line electric instant hot water heater under the floor in line with the main hot water line. The owner was happy. One day he noticed that his guest bathroom (it was a very big house) had luke warm water while all other hot water taps were at 140 degrees. Turns out the inline bootleg instant heater was installed just beyond the first bathroom. You'd think the story was over-- but it turns out when Mr. Slippery did the work he also brought the original contract (3-part-carbon) and snooped around the files of the homeowner until he found the homeowners copy of the contract. Mr. Slippery added the instant water heater to the original contract as part of the original scope of work.
Turns out the homeowner had a recirc system on his hot water system (with a recirc pump). The house was on a well and the check valve had frozen open on the recirc line. The whole problem could have been solved by replacing the check $10 valve. Instead Mr. Sneaky did a bootleg job and doctored a contract. Mr. Sneaky ended up tearing out the whole system and refunding all the money. He should have done time!
- Status