Singapore legislation
Section 87
Section 87
Unauthorised use of electricity
(1)
Any person who —
dishonestly or fraudulently abstracts, uses, consumes or diverts any electricity supplied by an electricity licensee;
alters or tampers with any part of any meter or meter installation supplied by an electricity licensee for registering the quantity of electricity supplied to any person or premises;
does any thing that compromises or adversely affects the ability or proper operation of any meter or meter installation supplied by an electricity licensee, in duly registering the quantity of electricity supplied to any person or premises; or
causes or permits any other person to engage in conduct mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c),shall be guilty of an offence.
(2)
A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1)(a), (b), (c) or (d) shall be liable on conviction to one or both of the following:
a fine that is the total of —
an amount not exceeding $50,000; and
an amount equal to 3 times the value of electricity —
abstracted, used, consumed or diverted in the commission of the offence under subsection (1)(a), or caused or permitted to be so abstracted, used, consumed or diverted in the commission of the offence under subsection (1)(d), as the case may be; or
supplied as a result of the commission of the offence under subsection (1)(b), (c) or (d), as the case may be;
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years,and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $250 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.
(3)
The value of the electricity abstracted, used, consumed, diverted or supplied as mentioned in subsection (2)(a)(ii), may be determined based on the amount of such electricity fairly and reasonably estimated after comparing records (as are appropriate and available) of electricity usage before, during and after the abstraction, use, consumption, diversion or supply.
(4)
If, in any proceedings before a court for an offence under subsection (1)(b) or (d), it is alleged that a person altered or tampered with any part of any meter or meter installation mentioned in subsection (1)(b), and it is proved —
that, at the time of the alleged conduct —
a device or wire was attached to, or was in the vicinity of, the meter or meter installation (or any part of the meter or meter installation) for the purpose of altering the index of the meter or meter installation or preventing the meter or meter installation from duly registering the quantity of electricity supplied;
the covering of the meter or meter installation had a hole which is not a result of ordinary wear and tear;
any seal fastened by an electricity licensee to any part of the meter or meter installation was damaged, removed or changed;
any paint or other chemical compound applied by an electricity licensee to or on any screw, component or mechanism of any part of the meter or meter installation was damaged or removed or altered in its chemical composition; or
the position or arrangement of any test link on a meter terminal test block of the meter installation was changed or altered; and
that the person had, at the time of the alleged conduct, custody or control of the meter or meter installation,then the person is presumed, until the contrary is proved, to have so altered or tampered with the meter or meter installation.