§ 11-35-8 - Interference with electric meter.
SECTION 11-35-8
§ 11-35-8 Interference with electricmeter. – Every person who shall willfully or fraudulently injure, or shall knowinglysuffer to be injured, any meter, or any wire, fittings, or appliances connectedwith any meter belonging to any corporation furnishing electric current forlight, heat, power, or other purposes at a stipulated rate of payment, or shallwillfully tamper or meddle with any other of the appliances or appurtenancesconnected with any meter belonging to any corporation, in any manner as tocause loss or damage to the corporation, or who shall willfully or fraudulentlyprevent any meter used for registering the quantity of the electric currentsupplied through it from duly registering the quantity so passing through it oralter the index in the meter, or in any way hinder or interfere with its properaction or just registration, or shall fraudulently use the electric current ofthe corporation passing through the meter, wire, fittings, or other of theappliances or appurtenances connected with or belonging to the corporation, orwillfully waste electric current, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor andshall be imprisoned not exceeding thirty (30) days or be fined not exceedingfive hundred dollars ($500). In any prosecution under this section proof thatany meter, or any wire, fitting, appliance, or appurtenance connected with it,has been injured, or tampered, or meddled with, or that any meter has beenprevented from duly registering the quantity of electric current suppliedthrough it, while on the premises occupied by the defendant, shall be primafacie evidence that the defendant caused the injury or tampered or meddled withthe meter, wire, fitting, appliance, or appurtenance, or prevented the meterfrom duly registering the quantity of electric current supplied through it,willfully and fraudulently and with intent to injure or defraud.