| Scienco News (contents) | |
| Theft of Gas (next) (Index) | |
Demand in Meter
Investigations Rises The independent forensic testing facility for the investigation of possible fraudulent us of supply meters is well established at Scienco. The service includes the production of reports for the Crown Prosecution Service and when required the provision of expert witnesses for court appearance. The following article summarises some of the recent interest in the subject and the the requirements of suppliers and transporters. "Energy watchdog Ofgem is to crack down on gas and electricity theft, the BBC reported" "The UK Revenue Protection Agency estimates theft costs around £350m a year, which is passed on to customers. Although suppliers are obliged to tackle fraud such as meter tampering, the cost of debt recovery provides little incentive, said Ofgem. Thieves use devices such as knitting needles to tamper with meters, said a BBC Radio Five Live report. The safety risks involved in fraud will also be highlighted, with some of the worst examples of meter tampering having resulted in fatal house fires. Ofgem said the rules governing what action should be taken against fraudsters are 15 years old and need to be reviewed, said the report. Under current rules supplier, such as British Gas and Scottish Power, have an "obligation" to investigate and target thieves. But Ofgem said it was not in their interests to do so because of a system called "smearing" which means all the companies pay for all the losses, and ultimately their customers pay the price.
|
|
