Theft of electricity: economic consequences for the population and criminal for evil-doers

IDGC of Centre — Smolenskenergo division continues to struggle with theft of electricity, materials and equipment. Conscientious consumers suffer from the actions of citizens who are illegally connected to the grid or violate metering systems. Theft of electricity in the first place has an effect on the value of the loss of a grid organization. It also reduces the quality of power supply, there is a risk of failure of electrical appliances. In addition, a grid connection, bypassing the grid organization, is performed by non-professionals in a “primitive” way. In such cases, unauthorized connections to the network can lead to malfunction of network equipment and electric shock to intruders.

Often poor quality of voltage is due to power theft, unauthorized connection to the electric grid of powerful installations. In apartment buildings, equipped with in-house common meters, in the case of illegal consumption of electricity by unscrupulous users, the difference in the amount of electricity metered with the in-house common meter and individual meters, is divided among all tenants. Thus, conscientious payers have to pay for electricity stolen by unscrupulous tenants.

Most of these cases were identified during the audit of meters, which is regularly held in Districts of Electrical Networks (DENs), and raids to prevent unauthorized connections to the distribution network. Employees of Smolenskenergo urge their clients to work together to deal with unscrupulous consumers: if you are aware of any theft of electricity, you are requested to notify by calling the Direct Power Hot Line at 8800 50 50 115 (toll free). You can also leave a message on the company’s website at www.mrsk-1.ru or Customer Service Centres of the branch.

For the 6 months of 2012 as a whole IDGC of Centre — Smolenskenergo division recorded 523 cases of theft, which is 64% less than the same period last year. The decrease in detection of theft is due to the fact that in the period 2008-2011 acts of non-contractual consumption were made in relation to utilities operators, who did not conclude power supply agreements on an apartment building entry, as well as legal entities, terminating contracts with OJSC “Smolenskenergosbyt” in relation to facilities that the applicable law could not introduce restriction on the consumption of electric energy. In the 1st half of 2012, 239 cases of non-contractual electricity consumption were revealed.

Following the result of the activity of the security department of IDGC of Centre — Smolenskenergo division during the reporting period law enforcement agencies filed 29 criminal cases. Upon examination in open court of the materials of one of the criminal cases, the court found that the defendant committed damage to power facilities out of greed and theft that is the secret theft of another’s property with unauthorized access to the premises. The court found the defendant guilty of 12 crimes and sentenced to hard labour for a period of 2 years with the payroll deduction of 15% in favour of the state to be served on the main job. The court also sought from the defendant in favour of IDGC of Centre — Smolenskenergo division more than 124 thousand rubles as compensation for the material damage caused by the crimes.

For the remaining cases the bodies of internal affairs with the direct assistance of the employees of the branch continue to implement complex operational and investigative activities.