NCJ Number
111412
Journal
Security Management Volume: 32 Issue: 5 Dated: (May 1988) Pages: 69-70
Date Published
1988
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article discusses electricity theft and ways to detect and prevent it.
Abstract
One of the security functions of the Houston Lighting and Power Company (HL&P) (Texas) is to find and seal cracks in the company's operation. The problems are uncovered faster and more frequently today because the ability to locate electricity theft has improved. To improve theft reporting, the meter seals are checked four times a year for signs of tampering, and a hotline was established to encourage consumers to report people who were tampering with electric meters. Through the first method, $250,000 in stolen revenue were reported, while the second recovered $1,858,219. Computer programs were developed to identify possible meter tampering. Through these programs, $746,597 in stolen service was recovered in the first year of operation, and $902,461 in the second year. Also, forms of tampering normally difficult to detect were identified, future potential revenue loss was avoided because a number of malfunctioning meters were discovered, management was given direct control over field work load levels, and the need to rely on traditional theft reporting resources was reduced. Other changes in the antitheft program include improvements in personnel training, prosecution of thieves, employee recognition programs, and revenue recovery practices. Another area targeted was decreasing the number of fraudulent applications for electricity. Additional programs under consideration for implementation are (1) calculating identified and unidentified total revenue losses due to theft, (2) determining future avoided revenue losses as a result of the overall antitheft program, and (3) implementing an automated program that routinely tests the billing system for probable theft activity.