April 04--SOUTH BEND -- It appears some thieves have taken to a rather dangerous activity recently -- stealing electricity.
There has been an uptick of reported cases in which electrical meters have been taken from the sides of homes, most likely to be relocated to another address to steal the electricity and not for scrap metal, said Marta Elliott, an Indiana Michigan Power spokeswoman.
There have been four recent cases locally where meters have been stolen, including a theft that was reported Monday at a home in the 1300 block of North O'Brien Street in South Bend.
In the recent case, the home on O'Brien was being worked on and the power had been turned off, police said. The case is still under investigation, Elliott added. Information about the other cases was not available.
Elliott said I&M officials do on occasion find meters on the sides of homes where they shouldn't be.
"That is something that does occur and something we're constantly vigilant about," she said. "Also, it's unsafe. It's a bad idea for anyone to ever touch a meter. It can be dangerous. And it costs us all money because those meters have to be paid for, and it's an expense we all share, including customers."
Police say such thefts are dangerous not only to the homeowner, but the thieves.
"You can get electrocuted," said Capt. Phil Trent, South Bend police spokesman.
I&M officials say the thefts can lead to serious injury or death from electrical shock, fires and explosions.
I&M released the following information about electrical thefts:
--Anyone trying to cause a meter to stop, under-register or be bypassed is stealing electricity.
--I&M's new Smart Meters automatically detect and report meter tampering to the utility, including date and time of day.
Elliott said there are several models of electrical meters. Some of the thefts are caught by meter readers who will recognize whether a meter is the correct model and has the correct number for the structure it is on.
--I&M employees are trained on how to monitor and identify all signs (and types) of meter tampering.
--Officials receive and investigate tips from the public on possible electricity theft.
Report such thefts by calling customer service at 800-672-2231.
Staff writer Tom Moor:
574-235-6234
Copyright 2012 - South Bend Tribune, Ind.
