Bypassing meters might sound like a petty crime to some people. To others, it might not even seem like a crime at all.
Not only is meter bypassing illegal, but this terrifying crime carries severe consequences.
However, every month, people type into Google phrases like, ‘how to bypass your meter,’ thinking that it’s just a clever way to save money and cut down their energy bills. Those search results will show a host of articles that demonstrate to individuals how to bypass their meter.
These articles provide users with meter bypass techniques, but they don’t explain that tampering with a meter has potentially fatal consequences.
Why Bypassing Your Meter is Dangerous
Bypassing meters is more common than you think, but meddling with something as dangerous as mains electricity and gas poses a huge risk.
Shocks and Severe Burns
Bypassing electric meters could make switches or appliances ‘live’ to the touch or make them overheat or malfunction. It means that anyone using the appliances is at risk of shocks and severe burns.
Electrical Fires
Bypassing electric meters can cause wires with loose connections to get so hot that they start fires. Not only can this destroy property, but it endangers the lives of everyone in and around the building.
Lethal Leaks and House Fires
Bypassing gas meters can damage the gas supply, leading to dangerous gas leaks. Fumes can build in a room, displacing the air. This can cause dizziness, headaches, and loss of consciousness. In enclosed spaces, lack of oxygen can even prove fatal.
This gas is also highly flammable. All it takes is a flick of a light switch, and an explosive fireball can rip through your home or business, destroying it and causing horrible injuries or worse to anyone inside.
Fires can spread quickly to neighbouring properties. If it happens at night, when people may be asleep, those precious minutes to get to safety could be lost.
Catastrophic Explosions
If gas escapes and builds up in the air throughout the house, that means your whole home may now be ready to explode with the devastating force of a bomb. Even nearby buildings can suffer structural collapse from the blast.
If you bypass your meter, you are turning your home into a potential death trap. As these horrifying real-life stories illustrate, what might feel like saving a few pounds today could cost lives tomorrow, and scar communities forever.
The best thing you can do to protect yourself from energy theft is to know the signs. Read our guide on how to spot energy theft for more information, so you can stay energy safe.
Protecting your loved ones and your community means staying vigilant against meter bypassing.
Always report any suspicious activity – 100% anonymously – to Stay Energy Safe, online or by calling 0800 023 2777. It is every person’s responsibility to help stop this devastating crime.
Legal Consequences of Meter Tampering
Criminals found guilty of gas and electric meter tampering can face large fines and spend up to five years behind bars. They will also have to pay back the value of the energy they stole, as well as the cost of the investigation and for making the metering equipment safe again.
The Financial Implications of Electricity and Gas Theft
The energy industry has estimated that energy theft costs consumers up to £1.4 billion every year, adding around £50 to every honest customer’s bill.
Bypassing your meter can also invalidate your insurance. If your property is damaged or destroyed, or someone is injured as a result of meter tampering, insurers are unlikely to cover the cost – leaving you with overwhelming financial losses.
If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, you can explore the help available here.
How to Report a Bypassed Meter or Suspected Tampering
When a meter is tampered with, it’s only a matter of time before tragedy could strike.
Next time you come across a YouTube video titled ‘how to bypass your meter’, stop and think about the potential life-threatening consequences it could have on your family members, your neighbours, and your community.
Stay Energy Safe was set up to provide people with a hub where they can report suspected energy theft 100% anonymously, enabling them to speak up and stay safe.
If you see signs of illegal gas and/or electricity connections or bypassed meters in your home, community, or workplace, report it immediately.
Even if you don’t know the exact details, we just need the address where you suspect energy theft is taking place, along with as much information as you have. Information from the public helps suppliers to recognise patterns of behaviour, allowing them to identify people who are stealing electricity and to make the meter, and in turn those who live and work nearby, safe.
To learn more about gas and electricity theft, click the links below: