Shopping mall in Lutong caught stealing electricity
The Star Sarawak, Malaysia 1 Nov 2013 S3
Crime beat: The Sesco inspection team checking the high voltage meter at the substation inside the shopping mall.
KUCHING: A shopping mall in Lutong, Miri has been found stealing electricity by Syarikat Sesco Bhds remote meter monitoring system at its headquarters here.
Upon detecting irregularities through the system, Sesco sent a meter inspection team to raid the premises.
The operation also involved inspectors from the Public Utilities Ministrys electrical inspectorate
unit and the police.
The shopping malls electricity is supplied through three high-voltage meters.
During the raid, the Sesco team discovered that the incoming wires to the three meters had been tampered with to prevent the meters from registering the actual energy consumed by the mall.
Based on Sescos records, the mall started operations late last year.
The system analysis showed that the tampering started in July this year.
An arrears bill will be issued to the mall for the losses incurred due to the power theft.
Sesco has also lodged a police report and investigations will be carried out for prosecution in court.
A Sesco spokesman said it was now the companys practice to install remote meter monitoring for all industrial and highrisk customers in the state to closely monitor their energy consumption.
Sesco has set up a dedicated team to monitor these customers 24 hours a day.
Any attempt at tampering will immediately be detected via the
system and a site inspection triggered.
It reminded the public that stealing electricity is a dangerous crime punishable under Section 33(5) of the Electricity Ordinance with a fine up to RM100,000 or five years in jail or both.
The public can call Sescos hotline at 082-443 535 to give information on power theft.
All calls will be kept confidential.