MEMPHIS, TN - A staggering number of people are stealing electricity throughout the Mid-South. Four people have been arrested just between December 6, 2009 and December 10, 2009. Why should you care? When people pirate power it costs you and people who pay their bills millions. That's why MLGW has a highly specialized team of investigators who try to catch these criminals in the act and cut them off at the source.
When tips come in about someone stealing electricity, the power police head out.
"Sometimes it's ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends or family members or neighbors that tip us off,” said MLGW spokesman Chris Stanley.
Revenue Protection Investigators arrived at one North Memphis home on Harmen St. and found a disaster waiting to happen. Wires were rigged dangerously from homes to power poles, all stuck together with duct tape.
"It was just about to burn the wire and it very easily could’ve done the same right on the house," one investigator said.
"The house could catch fire, and the person could be electrocuted," said another investigator.
If the wind chill factor is below freezing for 24 hours, MLGW won't cut off your power for not paying your bill. If you're stealing service, however, that's another story.
When the lights go out, electricity thieves sometimes take it out on investigators. They can get physical and even threaten their families. That's why they don’t want us to give you their names or show you their faces.
"We encounter irate customers,” an investigator said. “We encounter bad dogs. We have to deal with locked gates and bushes in front of the meter. We have a lot of obstacles we have to deal with."
At another house on Marble St., someone's home but won't answer.
"This electric meter is on. It should be off,” said the investigator. “They have turned the meter back on by taking it out of the socket and putting it back in."
"Depending on the amount of service that you've stolen,” Stanley said. “It can be a felony and you can spend jail time."
What do these guys what to tell any potential power pirates out there?
"It is dangerous,” an investigator said. “I will say it's a violation of the law. If we catch you, we are going to prosecute."
Investigators say wires rigged illegally are dangerous, not just for the houses they're connected to, but for the entire neighborhood.
MLGW's Revenue Protection Investigators have caught nearly 20,000 people stealing power this year. They're so good at what they do that crews from other big cities like Nashville come here to train under them. If you know someone who may be stealing utilities, you can call 321-6969 to report them. It will save you money in the long run.
