An electrician's cautionary tale: Tampering with meters can have deadly consequences. 'I fiddled the meter for a mate - and the shop burnt down', says a man who set up an illegal bypass for a friend's business. He now warns others against 'dicing with death' to save money on soaring fuel bills. 'I turned a blind eye to the risks and the fact it was illegal,' he reflects, 'but when I look back it weren't worth any money because that scare I had.' The story highlights a growing issue: energy theft has risen sharply during the cost-of-living crisis. 'Demand is as high as it's ever been,' he says, 'but I won't do it anymore.' The electrician now refuses any off-the-books requests after one of his tampering jobs went wrong. 'I had an incident where I helped someone out - a functioning business - they needed a quick fix. I fiddled it for them and warned them it needed sorting properly or it could go up. Four weeks later the shop burns down.' The tale serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of tampering with meters. 'All I'd say to people who want to rig the meter is don't do it, you're dicing with death,' he advises. 'And to young electricians out there, don't be tempted for the easy buck, because that's all it is. You're down in the pub with your mates or whatever, you're pleased you've done a quick side job. But you've just put a family in jeopardy for a few extra quid. And if it does go wrong - and it does go wrong - you're sat in a cell there doing 20 years, thinking to yourself, was it worth it?' The story also sheds light on the growing trend of crime gangs bypassing the grid to power cannabis farms. 'They bring in a professional jointing team because it must be done live, which is extremely dangerous. That gives them an unmetered supply,' says an incident intelligence officer. 'They even made fake double yellow lines made from stickers to dupe police.' The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of reporting suspected energy theft and the need for better education and awareness about the risks of tampering with meters.
