Electricity theft currently at records levels in England and Wales

As reported today by the BBC, electricity theft is currently at record levels in England and Wales with cannabis farms, cryptocurrency mines and the cost-of-living crisis being blamed.

BBC analysis found that thefts had risen by 75% since 2012, with over 3,500 offences reported in 2021-22.

An electricity theft is where meters are tampered with or even bypassed by someone to avoid paying for their household or business electricity.

It goes further than just theft from the energy supplier, it can lead to increased risk of fire and even death as wires can be left exposed and will often bypass the safety of a fuse box.

As reported by the BBC, in September 2018 a seven year old died after climbing a fence in a pub garden where the electricity meter had been bypassed and the child came into contact with a lightbulb served by an unearthed fuse box. The pub owner pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

The investigation found that the past three years had seen the highest levels, peaking at 3,599 thefts in 2021-22.

Are massive rises in prices to blame?

Assistant commissioner at London Fire Brigade, Charlie Pugsley, said criminal activity including “anything from cannabis cultivation to Bitcoin mining” was behind a rise in the capital.

However, Mr Pugsley claimed that the cost of living crisis could also be a factor in the rise of electricity theft as households and businesses might have turned to criminal activity in an attempt to avoid paying their bills.

“People have seen huge price rises, so while we clearly can’t condone theft of electricity, it is not unexpected.”

Also, a survey of 150 electricians by insurance company Direct Line backed up Mr. Pugsley’s claim as they found more than a third had been approached to interfere with meters during the past year.

Citizen’s Advice predicts that by the end of 2023 it will have seen 26% more people in need of help with energy debt compared to 2022. Significantly, electricity theft offences peaked in the first quarter of 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine and energy prices started to rise at there fastest rate.