More than two in five Scots unaware of life-threatening risk of energy theft

The practice of meter cheating causes at least one injury or death every 10 days in the UK. It occurs when somebody illegally tampers with, or completely bypasses, their electricity or gas meter so it doesn’t properly record usage, meaning they can avoid paying for some or all of their supply.

Even one incident of meter tampering poses a serious threat to public safety, leaving consumers with unsafe gas and electrical supplies, which in turn can put them at risk of electric shocks, fires, and even explosions in extreme cases. However, more than 2.3 million Scots may be unaware that this is the case.

More than one in four (26%) Scottish residents stated they are not aware that energy theft can lead to fires, while a similar number (28%) are unaware that meter cheating can cause electric shocks. Perhaps even more concerning, a further 48% of people in Scotland do not appreciate the risks of gas explosions which could occur at home or even in a public building such as a shop or restaurant.

Moreover, when asked what their main reason would be for reporting an incident of energy theft, only 49% of people stated it would be due to the safety risk. This is a relatively low figure given the seriousness of the potential issues caused, pointing to a need for further education amongst the general public.

Many consumers may that meter cheating is a ‘victimless crime’, as perpetrators are only stealing power from large companies that can afford it. However, the potential cost to lives is enormous.

The study was commissioned by outsourced utility collections specialists Echo Managed Services and Grosvenor Services Group, and endorsed by Crimestoppers UK. It surveyed 2,000 UK residents and found worryingly low levels of awareness with regards to the practice of energy theft.

Lloyd Birkhead, managing director of Grosvenor Services Group, said: “Given that the consequences of energy theft can be potentially life threatening, it’s concerning that such a large proportion of the nation has no comprehension of the dangers they may face due to the actions of others in the community.

“One reason for such low awareness may be that reporting of the most serious real incidences of energy theft is relatively low, meaning that general media coverage is also low as a consequence. Gas explosions, for example, are not always reported as being as a result of a tampered meter, although highly suspected, unless 100% proven.

“People need to ultimately understand that this is not a victimless crime, but that they, their families and their friends could be in serious danger if meter cheating isn’t stamped out.”

Roger Critchell, director of operations at Crimestoppers UK, which runs ‘Stay Energy Safe’, a free helpline for people to anonymously report energy theft, said: Meter cheating costs lives. However, given that it is under reported, it’s understandable that dangers of this crime are not fully understood by members of the public in Scotland.

“Stay Energy Safe was setup to allow people to give information about energy crimes anonymously, but also to educate them on the potentially devastating consequences if it goes unreported. We hope that through this service, the public can have a significant impact on tackling this issue, which will help to improve the safety of people within their homes.”