People Are Stealing Pre-Paid Meters In Edo

Category: Crime News

The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has raised the alarm that some unscrupulous persons are going about stealing customers’ prepaid meters in Edo State.

The Head, Safety and Environment/ Security, Gilbert Nweke, raised the alarm in Benin while speaking with journalists on the arrest of a suspect who specializes in stealing BEDC prepaid meters.

He said “the arrested suspect is not a staff of BEDC but had worked with one of the contractors engaged by the Federal Government to install NMP meters. The contract has long elapsed but he now go about stealing prepared meter with his gang because he has the technical knowhow on how to do it”.

“The issue of prepaid meters in Edo theft has been very rampant and we have been sensitizing people to beware of anybody who comes around as BEDC staff that telling them they want to check, work or correct error in their meters because they are going about stealing prepaid meters”.

He explained “once the customers agrees, they climb the pole the meter is attached and remove it because the meter is very small and put it in their pockets or bags and cover the meter box back.

“They will only discover that it has been stolen when they want to recharge or when our staff goes out to check whether customers havr been recharging their meters or not.

“Recently, we had a case at Azagba community, a suspect who who specializes in stealing of prepaid meter with his gang was arrested by the community and we have handed him over to the police”.

“We want to appeal to the public that they should be very vigilant and report any person who comes around that they want check or repair their meters” he said.