Electricity Theft | Theft of Electricity

“Electricity theft” in the office by charging a mobile phone? Is summary dismissal justified?

In 2009, a man from Oberhausen won a widely noted court case: the summary dismissal for electricity theft amounting to 0.014 cents (!) for charging his smartphone was rejected by the Arbeitsgericht Oberhausen (Case No. 4 Ca 1228/09). The man, who had been employed by his employer for 14 years, was therefore allowed to keep his job. Nevertheless, electricity theft is generally a criminal offense – with leniency for minor amounts: anchored in the Criminal Code (StGB) since 1900, Section 248c “Withdrawal of Electrical Energy” provides for imprisonment of up to five years or a fine, whereby even the attempt is punishable. Small amounts (Section 248a StGB) and electricity theft among relatives are prosecuted only upon request.

How can electricity theft be detected?

How can one tell whether electricity prices have simply increased or consumption has risen temporarily, or whether electricity theft is taking place? While slightly higher consumption is normal, especially in cold winters or after purchasing a power-hungry hi-fi system, extremely decreased or extremely increased consumption should make either the utility company or the tenant/landlord suspicious. Significant irregularities in the meter reading may indicate electricity theft. In order to investigate a suspicion and avoid falsely accusing anyone, our detectives from Münster are deployed. With their expertise and discretion, they can use surveillance and on-site investigations to determine whether electricity theft has occurred and, if so, who may be responsible.

 

It is therefore important to remain vigilant; sometimes our clients are first alerted to irregularities or the presence of suspicious persons by attentive caretakers or neighbors, which is what creates awareness of a possible crime against themselves or their company. Electricity thieves sometimes damage meters or manipulate meter readings; shut-off flaps intended to interrupt the flow of electricity are damaged; meters are deliberately installed incorrectly, etc. If forensic traces are discovered that cannot be clearly assigned, it is important not to render them unusable through one’s own fingerprints or other activities at the scene. Our private detectives from Münster will gladly provide their expertise and experience in securing and analyzing evidence.

Private or business power lines are being tapped – what now?

Business owners may often have no choice but to consume a high amount of electricity in their operations; however, abusive personal use or deliberate illegal electricity theft can result in extraordinarily high annual bills. Landlords of one or more apartments must regularly check meter readings to ensure tenants are not bypassing their electricity bills by tapping into shared lines in common areas such as stairwells, basements, or laundry rooms. In its ruling of 10 February 2015 (Case No.: 11 C 103/14), the Wedding District Court considered the extraordinary immediate dismissal of a tenant who had tampered with building lines after being cut off due to high additional charges to be lawful under Section 543 BGB “Extraordinary Immediate Termination for Good Cause”.

 

With complex legal nuances and considerable discretion for individual judges, it is all the more important to present an unbroken chain of evidence against the electricity thief – our Münster business detective agency is happy to assist: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de.

Electricity theft affecting suppliers

Not only businesses and private individuals suffer from electricity thieves; electricity suppliers themselves also incur losses. Often, previously disconnected customers, known to suppliers through credit records or unpaid bills, attempt to reconnect illegally. Impatient consumers unwilling to wait for maintenance or new tenants seeking to bypass electricity contracts are also typical offenders.

 

While modern smart meters regularly transmit current readings to the supplier, many households in Germany still use analogue meters. Tenants are responsible for reading these meters and reporting the data to the supplier themselves. This creates opportunities for electricity thieves to report altered figures. Usually, inspections occur only when larger anomalies arise – clever thieves who reduce consumption slowly may escape detection.

What can our business detectives in Münster do?

Primarily, Kurtz Detective Agency Münster and Westphalia address electricity theft as they do most of their work: surveillance, research, and questioning suspects with police-style interview expertise. For example, if unusually high electricity usage is observed overnight despite the premises being unused, night-time surveillance may be conducted. This way, employees or outsiders can be caught in the act tapping the company electricity network. A recent case involved an employee using a company electric vehicle charging station for his private electric car, causing significantly higher consumption.

 

In addition to the methods mentioned, our Münster private detective agency can take fingerprints on manipulated or damaged electricity meters, infiltrate company sites to better observe the meter room, interview employees or neighbours under cover, and much more.

Engaging our business detective agency in Münster

If you fear that your private or business electricity lines are being tapped and misused by unauthorized third parties, please contact our business detectives in Münster. The IHK-certified investigators of Kurtz Detective Agency work quickly, professionally, discreetly, and result-oriented, to provide you with a swift resolution. We are reachable during business hours via the contact form, by email (kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de), or by telephone: +49 251 7009 0014.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

 

Kurtz Investigations Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

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