By the Numbers: In down economy, electricity thefts rise

[M_Smith]

By the Numbers: In down economy, electricity thefts rise
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Number of cases of electricity theft that American Electric Power, which serves customers in 11 states, experienced in January and February, a 27 percent climb from a year earlier. AEP is not the only power provider to experience a rise in power pilfering. "We're finding more and more people are . . . stealing electricity because of the poor economy," said John Hammerberg, investigations supervisor for Florida's Tampa Electric, to USA Today, which first reported this story. The article details the methods people use to steal electricity, though there was no mention of using induction technology, as has been discussed on Snopes.com.
The story also noted that thieves are stealing electric meters from vacant homes, some of which have already been targeted for their copper pipes and wiring. "We're seeing a lot more break-ins in places with a lot of vacant homes," says Michelle Boykins, director of communications for the National Crime Prevention Council. And as if the stolen power isn't bad enough, copper thefts from utilities are causing more frequent power outages, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, leaving the crooks as well as law-abiding customers in the dark.

Essential information: Try these legit ways to lower your electric bill, including using a watt meter or a smart meter. Also, lean about Google's new PowerMeter and buying green power.
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