Section 6-5-601 - Right of Action for Diversion or Unauthorized Use of Utility Services

Any person who knowingly:(1) Connects any tube, pipe, wire, or other instrument with any meter, device, or other instrument used for conducting utility services in such a manner as to permit the use of said utility services without the same passing through a meter or other instrument recording the usage for billing;(2) Alters, injures, turns on, or prevents the action of a meter, valve, stopcock, or other instrument used for measuring quantities of utility services;(3) Breaks, defaces, or causes to be broken or defaced any seal, locking device, or other parts that make up a metering device for recording usage of utility services or a security system for said recording device;(4) Removes a metering device for measuring quantities of utility services;(5) Transfers from one location to another a metering device for measuring usage of utility services;(6) Uses a metering device belonging to the utility that has not been assigned to said location and installed by the utility;(7) Adjusts the indicated consumption, jams the measuring device, bypasses the meter or measuring device with a jumper so that it

t has not been assigned to said location and installed by the utility;(7) Adjusts the indicated consumption, jams the measuring device, bypasses the meter or measuring device with a jumper so that it does not indicate use or registers incorrectly or otherwise obtains quantities of utility services from the utility without same passing through a metering device for measuring quantities of consumption for billing;(8) Fabricates or uses a device to pick or otherwise tamper with the locks used to deter current diversion, meter tampering, and meter thefts;(9) Otherwise takes any action resulting in the diversion or unauthorized use of utility services;shall be liable civilly for damages resulting from such violations.