§ 11-35-8. Interference with electric meter.
Every person who shall willfully or fraudulently injure, or shall knowingly suffer to be injured, any meter, or any wire, fittings, or appliances connected with any meter belonging to any corporation furnishing electric current for light, heat, power, or other purposes at a stipulated rate of payment, or shall willfully tamper or meddle with any other of the appliances or appurtenances connected with any meter belonging to any corporation, in any manner as to cause loss or damage to the corporation, or who shall willfully or fraudulently prevent any meter used for registering the quantity of the electric current supplied through it from duly registering the quantity so passing through it or alter the index in the meter, or in any way hinder or interfere with its proper action or just registration, or shall fraudulently use the electric current of the corporation passing through the meter, wire, fittings, or other of the appliances or appurtenances connected with or belonging to the corporation, or willfully waste electric current, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be imprisoned not exceeding thirty (30) days or be fined not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500). In any prosecution under this section proof that any meter, or any wire, fitting, appliance, or appurtenance connected with it, has been injured, or tampered, or meddled with, or that any meter has been prevented from duly registering the quantity of electric current supplied through it, while on the premises occupied by the defendant, shall be prima facie evidence that the defendant caused the injury or tampered or meddled with the meter, wire, fitting, appliance, or appurtenance, or prevented the meter from duly registering the quantity of electric current supplied through it, willfully and fraudulently and with intent to injure or defraud.
History of Section.G.L. 1896, ch. 279, § 63; G.L. 1909, ch. 345, § 66; G.L. 1923, ch. 397, § 66; G.L. 1938, ch. 608, § 59; P.L. 1940, ch. 948, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 11-35-8.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 11-35 - Public Utilities
Section 11-35-2. - Badges of telegraph and telephone workers.
Section 11-35-3. - Penalty for violating §§ 11-35-1, 11-35-2.
Section 11-35-4. - Injuries to electric or communication lines.
Section 11-35-4.1. - Installation of live wires or electrical equipment.
Section 11-35-5. - Aiding, abetting, counseling, or procuring line injuries.
Section 11-35-6. - Interference with gas or electric or water meters.
Section 11-35-7. - Bypassing meters — Use of electricity, gas or water with intent to defraud.
Section 11-35-8. - Interference with electric meter.
Section 11-35-9. - Bypassing electric meter — Use of electricity with intent to defraud.
Section 11-35-10. - Excessive gas or water charges — False meters.
Section 11-35-11 - — 11-35-13. Repealed.
Section 11-35-14. - Refusal to relinquish or to damage or to obstruct telephone.
Section 11-35-15. - Notice on telephone book.
Section 11-35-16. - Wrongfully obtaining telecommunication service.
Section 11-35-17. - Crank or obscene telephone calls.
Section 11-35-18. - Bomb threats and similar false reports.
Section 11-35-19. - Prosecution for violations of §§ 11-35-17, 11-35-18.
Section 11-35-20. - Termination of service.
Section 11-35-20.1. - Wrongful termination or disruption of service.
Section 11-35-22. - Offenses in connection with authorized interception of communications.
Section 11-35-23. - Failure to report to law enforcement officers.
Section 11-35-25. - Fraudulent communication devices.
Section 11-35-26. - Automatic telephone dialing systems failing to disconnect.