Hotline of power engineering specialists:
In October 2013 as a result of a planned inspection and reading of electric power meters representatives of Demidovsky Distribution Zone of IDGC of Centre - Smolenskenergo division on a metering device of the "Cafe" belonging to Individual Entrepreneur V.D. Chopchits, located in the city of Demidov of the Smolensk region, discovered a foreign object - a magnet, the effect of which hindered the work of the counting mechanism of the metering device and distorted (reduced) the amount of electric energy consumed.
The power engineers qualified these actions as "interference in the work of the metering device, the obligation to ensure the integrity and safety of which is assigned to the consumer", i.e. as non-metered electricity consumption, on which an act was drawn up. According to the estimates IDGC of Centre incurred material damage in the amount of 733,178 rubles.
Chief of Demidovsky Distribution Zone Alexander Mikhailov made a statement to the police station for Demidovsky district of Municipal Formation of the Russian Interior Ministry "Velizhsky" to conduct examination on the fact, to determine perpetrators and bring them to liability under applicable law. Simultaneously with the ongoing investigative actions within the criminal case of the police department in cooperation with the security department of the branch, the legal department of Smolenskenergo and Demidovsky Distribution Zone filed claims to receive compensation for the material damage in court civil proceedings.
In September 2014 on the basis of the results from the trials that confirmed the legality of actions of Demidovsky Distribution Zone and obliged Individual Entrepreneur V.D. Chopchits to reimburse the branch damages for the non-metered consumption of electric energy, the writ was sent to the Federal Bailiffs' Service of Russia in Demidovsky district of the Smolensk region against the debtor for enforcement proceedings.
"However, the individual entrepreneur refused to fulfill the court's decision to voluntarily liquidate the debt. Bailiffs were forced to arrest the debtor's money in the bank, to restrict his right to leave the country and arrest automobiles "KamAZ" and "GAZ" in the amount of 700 thousand rubles," explained the Office of the Federal Bailiff Service of the Smolensk region.
Thus, within the framework of engagement activities with the law enforcement agencies, Demidovsky Distribution Zone together with the legal and security departments of Smolenskenergo in February 2015 succeeded in receiving compensation for the material damage (including legal costs) in the amount of 738,691.32 rubles. At the moment, the amount of the debt under the writ of execution has been repaid in full.