AS THE Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo) continues its crackdown on illegal electricity users, the company removed 2,150 unlawful connections in the parishes of St. Catherine, Clarendon and St. Andrew this week.
Ten persons were also arrested and charged during the operations bringing the total number of persons arrested for stealing electricity since the start of the year to 83.
The operations were joint efforts between members of the company's Revenue Protection Department (RPD) and police officers from the Mobile Reserve. The team visited the Toby Heights area of Clarendon where, earlier this week, an infant was burnt to death in a fire that resulted from an illegal connection. Two persons who were arrested and charged are booked to appear in the May Pen Resident Magistrate Court on April 14.
IRREGULARITIES
In the Brunswick Avenue, Oxford Road and Windsor Heights areas of St. Catherine, five persons were arrested while in St. Andrew three arrests were made and a number of meters were disconnected for irregularities.
"JPS removes illegal connections, as one of a number of strategies that are employed to minimise the extent of illegal connections and encourage legitimacy among consumers," a release from the company stressed yesterday. "During the operations, JPS targets those users without contracts as well as legitimate customers who devise various means of tampering and bypassing their meters.
"The Company also uses other strategies such as: a community relations programme which encourages legality through conditional contracts and education and public awareness programmes."
LIABLE FOR IMPRISONMENT
The company warns that electricity theft is a criminal offence and liable under law for imprisonment of up to five years. The public is being urged to cease this dangerous practice, which can result in the loss of lives and property through electrocutions and fires.
In 2003 JPSCo removed 44,782 illegal electrical connections during 231 operations islandwide.
