electricity theft?

[porkchop buddah]

Don't steal no need. My bill hovers between 300-400 a month, chump change. I find it funny that many people post that electric company info as if they work for them! If people can't get away with stealing electricity then why is theft at an all time high but no arrests or fines? Wasn't that what the smart readers were supposed to stop? You can't stop theft completely believe me ask any business owner, you can have cameras security but theft will always occur

 

[noyd666]

 

[Bud Green]

If your knowledge of electricity is because you
"spoke with some people and now know how to bypass all the new meters":

here's a few good reasons not to tamper with your meter base...

 

[MrBungle]

If you are going to steal electricity... steal it in the form of energy from the sun or wind.... Much more satisfying, and responsible

 

[Shmavis]

After starting this thread I went and spoke with some people and now know how to bypass all the new meters without bringing attention. I AM NOT STEALING ELECTRICITY! I am curious by nature it's just my personality. In essence to steal electricity all you need to do is buy your own smart reader and install it, I won't go into details but it's very, very easy. All your doing is getting rid of a smart reader that is linked to your address, how can a gas,water or electric company now what your using if they can't read your usage? The electricity company can't read your smart reader you bought, they don't have that info. And for those people who claim you can't have the electricity company remove their meters, are you serious? Didn't realize I legally have to have a meter attached to my home even if I don't want it, give me a break! Meters get removed daily for various reasons construction, off grid, delinquent bill and many more

Here, what happens when you’re delinquent:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quPf_gjKnAI

Notice the meter stays in place. It is not removed. A smart meter would not be removed either. And if you’re out in the sticks you’d have a dedicated sub on a telephone pole. Service could be disconnected there. Never touching the meter.

Not saying that somewhere some electric company wouldn’t remove them... but it doesn’t make much sense. It’s not the normal means of cutting service... and sure if you wanted to go off-grid - completely - with no access to the electric company’s service, I’m sure you could have them remove the meter... no disagreement there.

But that’s an entirely separate scenario.

And to say that they wouldn’t know how much electricity is going out without being accounted for because you swapped out a meter is to put one’s head in the sand. The purpose of the meters is to monitor usage. A substation outputting more electricity than what is being accounted for via meters will of course raise red flags. Because they’re metering and monitoring from substations as well, not just at residential addresses.

So, anyway...