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Started By
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How is this crime committed?
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:05 pm
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:05 pm
First I've heard of it and wondered about the logistics. A guy up here was arrested for stealing water. All the article says is that he broke the lock on his neighbor's meter.
Does that enable him to use his water and have it charged to his neighbor's meter? I'm curious as to how that would be done.
Does that enable him to use his water and have it charged to his neighbor's meter? I'm curious as to how that would be done.
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:14 pm to Zach
Or tampering with city property. That's what the charge is here in Htown. Unless you pipe it in somehow, how is it theft?
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:14 pm to Zach
Spigot on the side of the house?
Never mind. That still doesn't make sense. I have no idea.
Never mind. That still doesn't make sense. I have no idea.
This post was edited on 12/12/14 at 1:15 pm
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:15 pm to idlewatcher
I don't understand how accessing the victim's meter enables you to steal water. I've heard of people tampering with their OWN meter so they wouldn't get charged what they owe.
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:15 pm to Zach
Serious? He broke the lock on the meter which would allow his neighbor to bypass the meter when drawing public water. The same as if he broke an electric meter. He doesn't have to get the water himself, but he clearly was an accomplice (if convicted).
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:17 pm to mmcgrath
So, you think he and the 'victim' were working together? There was only one arrest. It's also weird because water here is cheap. My water bill is 40 a month.
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:22 pm to Zach
Maybe the other guy was out of town or something. Or maybe it's a remote, rural property and no evidence the absentee owner was in on it.
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:23 pm to Zach
quote:That's a about what it is in Trenton. But it's a big issue here. Mostly because water employees were using trucks and parts from the utility to repair and hook up water lines (sans meters) to customers and collect payment in cash. LINK
So, you think he and the 'victim' were working together? There was only one arrest. It's also weird because water here is cheap. My water bill is 40 a month.
In this case even if the home owner claims that he didn't know about it, if it can be proven that the neighbor broke the lock on the meter than he could be caught for the theft.
"If" the neighbor was truly innocent, then maybe the guy wanted to fill his swimming pool but didn't want to use his well water / city water and thought he was being slick by using the neighbor's.
This post was edited on 12/12/14 at 1:30 pm
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:46 pm to Zach
If he broke the lock on his neighbors house, that means the house must have been vacant. you can only lock the valve cock in the closed position not on the open position. You wouldn't want a lock preventing you from shutting off the water in an emergency.
EDIT to include a visual:
EDIT to include a visual:
This post was edited on 12/12/14 at 1:49 pm
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:49 pm to Zach
He would have to tap the line behind his neighbor's meter otherwise he would be taking off the main which would be harder to detect.
I saw a recent news item where a town is putting in digital water meters that can show the water company usage in real time. It can look for odd usage amounts that are usually a sign of leaks or theft and alert the customer right away instead of them being shocked by a monthly bill that shows 10X normal usage.
I saw a recent news item where a town is putting in digital water meters that can show the water company usage in real time. It can look for odd usage amounts that are usually a sign of leaks or theft and alert the customer right away instead of them being shocked by a monthly bill that shows 10X normal usage.
Posted on 12/12/14 at 1:53 pm to TrueTiger
OK, so I need to get one thing clear that the article did not cover.
Was the actual water from person 'A' redirected to the home of person 'B'? Or was this a case of person 'B's normal water usage within his home charged to the meter of person 'A.'?
Was the actual water from person 'A' redirected to the home of person 'B'? Or was this a case of person 'B's normal water usage within his home charged to the meter of person 'A.'?
Posted on 12/12/14 at 2:00 pm to Zach
I was describing your first scenario which is water diversion after it was measured at the neighbor's meter.
The second scenario would likely be a data mapping error in the billing computer that has the meter number assigned to the wrong billing address. This would be an inside job or maybe a good computer hack.
The second scenario would likely be a data mapping error in the billing computer that has the meter number assigned to the wrong billing address. This would be an inside job or maybe a good computer hack.
Posted on 12/12/14 at 2:21 pm to tigeraddict
That's a shutoff valve for a water main. The water company will close it and padlock it if you don't pay your bill. You have another shutoff valve in the house.
The lock on a water meter is different.
The lock on a water meter is different.
Posted on 12/12/14 at 2:23 pm to Zach
quote:There really isn't a reason to break the lock on a water meter unless you want to bypass the meter "reading" what water is used. From there it doesn't matter who used the water.
OK, so I need to get one thing clear that the article did not cover.
Was the actual water from person 'A' redirected to the home of person 'B'? Or was this a case of person 'B's normal water usage within his home charged to the meter of person 'A.'?
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