Winnipeg woman accused of tampering with Hydro meter

A Winnipeg woman is facing theft charges after a Manitoba Hydro employee discovered the electrical meter at her Glenwood residence had been tampered with.

The 46-year-old suspect is accused of stealing just over two weeks’ worth of power, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Friday.

According to the release, Manitoba Hydro installed a load limiter on the suspect’s electrical meter on March 12 because she had not paid her bill.

The account was settled on March 25 and a Hydro worker went to her home to uninstall the limiter. They then discovered the device had already been forcibly removed and tampered with, allowing the suspect to allegedly steal power between March 12 to March 30, WPS said.

Investigators arrested the woman on April 15. She is charged with mischief and theft under $5,000 and was released on an appearance notice.

In the release, police issued a warning that diverting or bypassing Hydro meters without paying is illegal. Instances of electrical tampering have increased significantly in recent years, WPS said.