§ 11-05-310. Generally—Tampering with or damaging public utilities.

(a)

Tampering with or damaging public utilities consists of any of the following acts:

(1)

Connecting or attaching any kind of pipe, wire or other contrivance to any pipe, hydrant, line, wire or other conductor carrying gas, water, electricity, or other conveyances belonging to any such utility (whether publicly or privately owned) in such a manner as to enable any person to consume or use the product or services of such utility without the same passing through a meter, without obtaining the proper permit or paying the required fee, or in any other way so as to evade payment for such utility service;

(2)

Damaging, tampering with, adjusting, resetting or otherwise impairing the operation of a meter for the measurement of utility service, as described above, with intent to evade payment for such service;

(3)

Damaging, molesting, tampering with or destroying any pipe, line, wire, meter or any other part of any utility, as described above, without obtaining the proper permit or paying the required fee; or

(4)

Intentionally reinstating or turning on any such utility service that has been turned off or discontinued by the utility, without obtaining the proper permit or paying the required fee.

(b)

It is unlawful to commit the offense described in this section.

(c)

If any meter, pipe, line, wire, fixture or other installation provided by a particular utility primarily for the purpose of serving a particular account is found to have been tampered with or damaged in violation of this section, the person, corporation or other customer whose name appears in the records of the utility affected as having applied for service or being otherwise responsible for such account, shall be held prima facie responsible for such violation.

(Ord. No. 665, § 1, 10-25-83)