20/01/2014 Inside Out South East

On our energy special tonight. The meter has definitely been interfered

with because it has a fake seal. with because it has a fake seal

Hunting down the power thieves, we join the British Gas detectives.

join the British Gas detecthves This is a huge problem, we believe

that perhaps ?500 million worth of gas and electricity are stolen

across the industry every year. What happens when the elderly get

cold? We turn two pensioners into guinea pigs to find out. Older

people cannot slow down their heart people cannot slow down thehr heart

rate in the same way that younger people can so they have raised blood

pressure and sustained heart rate, so they have a much greater risk.

And two years of the controversial Glynde wind turbine. Has it been

worth it, or is it just spin? We would not have spent ?1 million on

this turbine if we were not convinced it was going to do what we

had predicted. I'm Natalie Graham with untold

stories, closer to home. From all round the South East, this is Inside

Out. Hi, I'm in the heart of the South

Downs with our energy special in Hi, I'm in the heart of the South

Downs with our energy speci`l in the Downs with our energy special in the

hills above Glynde. We're b`ck Downs with our energy speci`l in the

hills above Glynde. We're back here hills above Glynde. We're b`ck here

later. But first, as the row over prices becomes ever more heated, a

prices becomes ever more he`ted a growing number of people are

prices becomes ever more heated, a growing number of people ard now

growing number of people are now stealing their gas and electricity.

Mark Jordan joins the enforcement teams as they hunt down the power

thieves. Energy prices are making he`dlines

as our bills hit an all`time Energy prices are making headlines

as our bills hit an all`timd high. as our bills hit an all`time high.

Honest households pay up. At ?3 a Honest households pay up. At ?30 a

year of our bill is paying for stolen power. The meter has

definitely been interfered with because it has a fake seal in the

top. This is the story of the power thieves, and the people who track

them down. The British Gas training Academy in Leicester. Here,

engineers learn how to spot tampering of gas and electrhc

tampering of gas and electric supplies. It has never been more

needed. Difficult economic climate is equal more people feeling that

this is the only way they can get this is the only way they c`n get

their energy. This is huge problem. We believe that perhaps ?500 million

of the gas and electricity `re of the gas and electricity are

stolen across the industry dvery stolen across the industry every

year. In terms of the custoler, year. In terms of the custoler,

potentially ?30 per year on their bills, that is a lot of mondy and it

bills, that is a lot of money and it is not something they should have to

pay. For the next few days, I am riding along with Piers and Malcolm,

power theft investigators. The most bizarre case I have dealt whth is a

nursing home. When we caught him, it cost him ?25,000. But this

morning's call is much smaller fry. The first three we have got is

domestic. And routine meter reading has discovered a single mother of

three tampering with her gas meter. The appeal to be a cooker hose which

replaced the gas meter. `` there appeared to be all stop even with

gas central heating, they only paid ?15 last year. How many people live

in the property? Because the mother in the property? Because thd mother

has children, she is considdred vulnerable and cannot be cut off. We

are trained to trace back who is doing this. We find trends of where

people are going round estates, tampering with the same metres in

the same way. These people will charge a range from ?10 to ?500 per

time. They can do ten to 15 a day. They are not putting themselves at

risk. If something happened there, it is the adjoining properties who

are `` affected by a potenthal are `` affected by a potential

explosion. Whatever the cause, gas explosions can be deadly. In

Sheffield last year, this entire house was blown apart. Miraculously,

no one died. But it is a chilling no one died. But it is a chilling

reminder of the dangers of gas. The damage of that explosion was so

great that authorities were never able to pinpoint the exact cause.

Emergency services were worried about other dangers. So thex decided

about other dangers. So they decided to conduct a test. The police were

on site and the networks ard on on site and the networks ard on

site. They asked us whether or not we felt it was right to havd

site. They asked us whether or not we felt it was right to have a look

at some of the other supplids in the at some of the other supplids in the

street and from looking at about 20 houses in a single terrorist

street, we found five gas thefts and to electricity thefts. `` in a

single terrorist street. This really impact on safetx, a

bicycle in achieved, it is used to bicycle in achieved, it is used to

bridge the gas meter so that she would be across here like that. We

have come here to inspect your electricity meter. This flat's total

bill of ?5 in the last year led them to find this dangerous bypass. Can

you tell me what the problel to find this dangerous bypass. Can

you tell me what the problem is? you tell me what the problel is

Malcolm prepares evidence for prosecution and the bill for years

of stolen electricity. They were back build from 2008 since the

account started. It is going to be a big bill. Hard up and hard times may

drive some, but we are now hn a very drive some, but we are now in a very

rich part of Essex. Homes hdre drive some, but we are now hn a very

rich part of Essex. Homes hdre often sell for over 1 million. But the

team have a tip`off about an eight bed mansion with ?300,000 worth of

cars on the forecourt. But the house is suspiciously energy efficient.

Can I come in and have a look and see what you