Shock rise in electricity theft after soaring bills

SOARING energy bills have sparked a sharp rise in electricity theft.

Last year there were 3,591 reports of electricity theft, a 76 per cent rise on the figure from just 24 months earlier.

As the price of energy has surged, it is feared people are turning to desperate measures to power their homes.

The latest crime figures suggest some have been side-stepping their meter to tap into the grid for free.

However, they have been warned that meter tampering can cause fatal safety risks.

Yet last year, just one in 10 cases of electricity theft saw someone charged. In threequarters of cases a prime suspect was never identified.

Thefts include tampering with a meter, and attempting to hook into another person’s supply.the crime is often associated with drugs gangs who tap into the grid to power energy-hungry hydroponic

‘It could cost you your life...’

cannabis farms. But with domestic electricity prices surging it is feared more households will turn to crime just to keep the power on.

Official figures show that one in every 300 units of electrical power generated is pinched by thieves.

This means they manage to steal around 1,000 gigawatt hours of energy every year.

Theft is now costing the grid £330million a year – the equivalent of £10 every second.

The hike in power bills has pushed the average direct debit tariff for energy from £1,138 to £3,549 within just two years, with an even larger rise for those on pre-payment meters.

Martyn Allen, technical director at Electrical Safety First, explained: “Tampering with meters is not only a criminal offence, it can cost you your life.

“It’s an unprecedentedly difficult time for many but no short-cut should ever put your life at risk. It is simply not worth it.tampering with meters can put you at severe risk of electric shock, burns, fire and death.

“If you are struggling with energy bills, we recommend you speak directly to your energy

provider.”