Watchdog seeks crackdown on gas thieves

The energy watchdog yesterday called for a crackdown on gas theft.

Ofgem said the crime puts lives at risk and costs consumers millions of pounds per year.

It wants suppliers to get better at recognising and preventing gas theft and establish minimum standards for investigations.

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Research suggests theft could cost around £138m a year, which is around £6 per household, Ofgem said.

It wants the 3,000 cases that are detected each year to double to 6,000 and proposed the energy industry toughens its measures to tackle gas theft.

Ofgen called for:

Introducing enforceable obligations on suppliers through a new licence condition.

Requiring suppliers to set up a cross industry theft risk assessment service to help them target investigations.

Developing principles for an incentive scheme to give suppliers new impetus to detect theft.

Supporting development of an industry code of practice on conducting theft investigations.

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