The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has back-billed an anonymous customer in Smokeyvale, St Andrew $4.5 million for ‘stolen electricity’ in the company’s stepped-up drive to combat power theft, reports Loop Jamaica.
The light and power company, which has a monopoly in Jamaica, said a crew recently discovered the ‘theft’, which was reportedly committed using a sophisticated device that was buried in the wall at the back of a five-bedroom house on the property.
The crew was carrying out routine meter investigations, and also found signs that the meter had been tampered with.
The company said various appliances were running on the ‘stolen’ electricity, including a jacuzzi, two air-conditioning units, four television sets, a freezer, a water cooler, a 40-gallon water heater, a clothes dryer and a dishwasher.
According to JPS, it has acquired a new, advanced detection equipment to combat electricity theft, which is being used by its crews.
“We will continue to ramp up our strategies to reduce the incidents of theft, while we also embrace and esteem the collaboration of our partners.
“In particular, we would welcome the establishment of a utility theft unit within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to effectively help quash this behavior,” a statement from JPS quoted Senior Vice-President for Customer Services, Ramsay McDonald.
Meanwhile, in the news section of the JPS web site, there was no mention of this coup, or of its drive to combat power theft.
However in good news for the artful customer, at the current rate of exchange $4.5 million Jamaica dollars is only equivalent to $30,000 US dollars, and he or she can pay online by clicking here.
