March 23, 2016:
Two persons have been fined, and face imprisonment on default, after pleading guilty to stealing electricity from the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC).
Curtis Tigre, aged 54 and Burgess Francis, aged 41, both of Hall Trace, off Kernahan Trace, Chin Chin Road, Cunupia, were sentenced in the Chaguanas 2nd Magistrates Court on March 14, having pleaded guilty on March 6. They were each fined $3,000.00 and were given two months to pay or, in default, nine months imprisonment with hard labour.
The men were initially charged after an early morning joint current stealing exercise by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and T&TEC’s Estate Police at Hall Trace on March 6th. Enquiries revealed that Mr Tigre and Mr Francis were benefitting from an electricity supply by means of abstracting, diverting and consuming electricity by unlawful means. The two were arrested and taken to the Cunupia Police Station, where they were formally charged. They appeared before Magistrate Sherene Murray-Bailey at the Chaguanas Court later the same day, where they pleaded guilty to the offence.
The arrest and prosecution is the result of T&TEC’s ongoing partnership with the TTPS to combat electricity theft. T&TEC therefore reminds members of the public that, pursuant to the Electricity Act, Chapter 54:70, it is a criminal offence to tamper with the Commission’s electricity installations and/or make electricity connections.
The Commission will investigate any such installations and/or connections and bring legal action against those found guilty of those offences. The public is therefore warned against carrying out such acts, which also pose a serious threat to safety.
Concerned citizens who are aware of such illegal activities are asked to contact T&TEC’s Security Department at 663-8832 ext. 2388/ 2386.
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For further information, please contact:
Corporate Communications Department
Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission
Tel: (868) 623-2611 ext. 2176