Florida court eyes 140 firms in energy theft
A Florida state court case involving the alleged theft of $120,000 worth of electric power by 140 businesses, perhaps the largest theft of its kind to reach trial, is seen by the utilities as part of the national problem of stolen energy that may have exceeded $5 billion in 1979. Eighty percent of the dollar amount is stolen by commercial and industrial users. The theft ring is alleged to have been organized by a team selling a meter-tampering service in which the team turned back the recording wheel a few days before the scheduled meter reading. Arrests were made after Florida Power and Light asked law-enforcement officers to stake out suspected meters. Similar meter theft rings have developed in other cities, although some users develop independent ways to steal power by bypassing or inverting the meter, or by introducing sophisticated switching systems. (DCK)
- OSTI ID:
- 5376687
- Journal Information:
- Energy User News; (United States), Journal Name: Energy User News; (United States) Vol. 5:10; ISSN EUSND
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
296002* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power Transmission & Distribution-- (-1989)
COMMERCIAL SECTOR
ELECTRIC MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
ELECTRIC POWER
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
EQUIPMENT
LAWSUITS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
POWER
POWER METERS
THEFT