Here’s a weird theft report… The Murfreesboro Electric Department was the victim of thievery on Wednesday night. Evidently, unknown persons stole an electric meter off the side of an apartment on Northfield Boulevard. The electric department realized it was missing when they stopped getting a signal from the meter to their office.

The electric company went to the apartment at 11:00, Wednesday night to investigate what was going on. A police incident report states the resident told an officer that a neighbor told her that they heard a loud bang the night before the meter went missing. A supervisor for the electric department noted that the electrical box around the meter was also damaged.  

The report did state that the apartment tenant owed the electric department $100 for services. No one has been charged with any wrong doing at this point.

Why would someone steal a meter?

WFTV in Florida recently aired a report about stolen electric meters in their community. The question was raised, “Why would someone steal an electric meter?” Thieves stole a meter and then plugged the stolen meter into their residence and used electricity as usual. At the end of the month they would remove the stolen meter and plug their original meter back in. When the meter reader stopped by, the meter showed only a small amount of electricity had been used because their old meter was unplugged for the month and not recording any electricity being used.

In Murfreesboro, whether they know it or not, that is not an option for thieves. The meters used by Murfreesboro Electric are read remotely and everything is now computer automated.

The Murfreesboro Electric Department reports on their website that their meters have Tamper detection to reduce theft. 

Source:

MPD Incident Report #13-5416
WTVF, Florida – “Thieves Stealing Electric Meters From Homes”
Murfreesboro Electric, "How to read your meter"