Electricity and gas theft: The hidden crime visible in your energy bill

Figures shared with ITV News have revealed a surge in cases of energy theft across Britain, Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports

Insiders call it an invisible crime, but energy theft becomes highly visible in our energy bills.

It’s adding up to £50 per bill - a total of up to £1.4 billion to what law-abiding customers pay. So today’s news that energy theft is on the rise is bad news for us all.

This is also about something far more important than money - energy thieves often put lives at risk.

Dave Garner, Director of Safety at Cadent, explains the signs of potential gas theft

We spoke to the mother of Harvey Tyrrell, who died aged seven. An energy thief had tampered with power supplies at the premises where he was playing.

His mum is battling to raise awareness.

“All we did as a family was went for dinner. And we came home without our child," she said.

“Anyone that’s thinking of tampering and messing around with things like electricity and gas - you can’t physically see them, you don’t know what you’re dealing with and the risks and how dangerous it is.”

Danielle is campaigning for the enforcement of electrical inspections, testing and certification of pubs.

High energy prices are being blamed for a dangerous increase in the theft of gas and electricity.

There’s been a 55% rise in meter tampering as thieves aim to avoid paying for their power supplies.

Today, the industry issued new warnings about the potentially deadly dangers.

The sector is urging us to look out for and report signs of theft, but there are big questions about whether it is doing enough to save customers paying the cost of other people’s crime.

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Signs of electricity theft include loose or unusual wiring, sparks coming from the meter or burn marks or scorches on the meter.

For gas, be vigilant for pipes that have been bypassed, or look out of place, or the use of rubber tubing.

"Gas theft, put simply, is where someone looks to take their gas for free. Meter tampering is just one way in which people do this," Dave Garner, Director of Safety at Cadent, said.

"A gas meter should be flush against the wall with the on off handle on the left hand side. If you see anything different to this, there is the potential that someone has tampered with their meter and is stealing gas."

To report a suspected case of energy theft - and for more tips - visit the Stay Energy Safe website.

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