ATES THE GROWING PROBLEM
OF ELECTRICITY THEFT, COSTING
YOU MONEY AND PUTTING LIVES AT
RISK.
>> WE ENERGIES.
THIS IS CHRIS.  
KENT: CHRIS SMITH IS ON A
MISSION.
>> WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE
THAT STOLEN METER CAME FROM.  
KENT: THE WE ENERGIES
INVESTIGATOR HUNTS DOWN POWER
THIEVES WHO STEAL ELECTRICITY,
OFTEN BY BUSTING OPEN A LOCKED
METER BOX HOUSING LIVE WIRES AND
REPLACING THE METER WITH ONE
THAT'S STOLEN FROM ANOTHER,
OFTEN VACANT HOME.
HOW DANGEROUS IS THIS?
>> IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.  
KENT: WE RODE ALONG AS HER CREW
CAME UPON ONE STOLEN METER AFTER
ANOTHER.
THIS IS A MULTI-FAMILY HOME.
THERE WERE TWO METERS.
THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS LEGIT,
BUT THE ONE ON THE RIGHT WAS
STOLEN, AND THE CREWS SAY IT
CAME FROM A HOME SIX AND A HALF
MILES AWAY FROM HERE.  
AND AT THIS HOME, A RESIDENT
TOLD US SHE HAD HAD JUST MOVED
IN, AND CLAIMED THAT SHE AND HER
MOTHER WERE UNAWARE OF THE POWER
THEFT.
THERE'S A STOLEN METER ON THE
BACK OF THIS HOUSE.
>> WOW, SO WILL PEOPLE GET IN
TROUBLE FOR THAT? 
KENT: ELECTRICITY THEFT IS
ESTIMATED TO COST THE POWER
INDUSTRY $6 BILLION A YEAR
NATIONALLY.
WHO PICKS UP THE TAB?
>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE ALL DO.  
KENT: IN WISCONSIN, WE ENERGIES
INVESTIGATES 4,000 TO 5,000
CASES A YEAR ACROSS THEIR ENTIRE
SYSTEM.
>> THIS HAPPENS EVERYWHERE.  
KENT: STOLEN METERS ARE THE MOST
COMMON METHOD, BUT SOME THIEVES
ACTUALLY RE-CONNECT LINES THE
UTILITY HAD CUT.
THIS ONE CAUSED A SHORT THAT
BROKE THE POWER LINE.
>> IT BURNED OFF UP AT THE TOP,
DROPPED INTO THE ALLEY, SO THEN
YOU HAVE A LIVE ENERGIZED WIRE
IN THE ALLEY THAT WAS ARCING AND
SPARKING.  
KENT: ANOTHER THIEF WAS LUCKY TO
WALK AWAY AFTER TOUCHING A
SCREWDRIVER TO A LIVE WIRE WHILE
PRYING OPEN A METER BOX.
THE HEAT WELDED THE SCREWDRIVER
TO THE FRAME.
>> THIS IS INTENSE HEAT.
THIS IS NOT COMING OFF OF HERE.
KENT: THEN THERE ARE CASES WHERE
THE THIEVES WILL TRY TO OUTSMART
THE INVESTIGATORS.
>> SO WE KNOW THAT THIS CUSTOMER
HAS BEEN PULLING THIS METER IN
AND OUT OF THE SOCKET.  
KENT: AT THIS HOME, A STOLEN
METER APPEARS TO BE INSTALLED
ONLY IN THE EVENING WHEN THE
POWER IS IN USE WITH THE
ORIGINAL METER RETURNED DURING
THE DAY, SO INVESTIGATORS WON'T
SEE ANYTHING ILLEGAL.
BUT WHAT THE THIEVES DIDN'T KNOW
WAS THAT DATA FROM THE HIGH-TECH
METER ACTUALLY TELLS THE POWER
COMPANY EXACTLY WHEN THE SWITCH
IS MADE RIGHT TO THE MINUTE, BUT
THE BIGGEST CONCERN, OF COURSE,
IS THE DANGER TO EVERYONE.
>> THE HOUSE, THE HOMEOWNER,
WHOEVER LIVES THERE, US,
EVERYBODY.  
KENT: THIS FIELD SERVICES
TECHNICIAN IS ON THE FRONT LINE
IN THE BATTLE AGAINST POWER
THEFT.
HE ASKED THAT WE NOT SHOW HIS
FACE, BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIALLY
HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS HE WALKS
INTO EVERY DAY, ANGRY CUSTOMERS
CAUGHT STEALING, ANGRY DOGS
GUARDING STOLEN METERS, AND
MORE.
WHAT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS THING
YOU'VE SEEN?
>> THE MOST DANGEROUS IS
ACTUALLY A CUSTOMER
SELF-RECONNECTING SERVICE FROM
THE POLE.  
KENT: AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE
CAME ACROSS A SHORT TIME LATER.
>> THEY HAD TO CLIMB ALMOST UP
TO THAT TRANSFORMER TO RECONNECT
THIS.  
KENT: AT THE TOP OF THE POLE,
LIVE LINES RE-ATTACHED TO
RESTORE POWER TO THIS HOME.
THE TECH TELLS THE RESIDENT HE'S
MAKING A SIMPLE METER SWAP.
>> I JUST GOT TO EXCHANGE A
METER FOR YOU.  
KENT: UNTIL CREWS IN A BASKET
TRUCK CAN GET HERE LATER TO CUT
THE POWER OFF AT THE POLE.
CASES OF POWER THEFT ARE OFTEN
DISCOVERED AND STOPPED WITHIN
DAYS, BUT SMITH SAYS THAT COULD
BE TOO LATE.
>> THE CHANCES OF SOMETHING
TRAGIC HAPPENING ARE REALLY
