I am working a residential fire where the tenant claims that someone tampered with their meter and/or electrical service, causing an inflated utility bill. Pre-fire, their average power bill was approx. $ 200.00 - 250.00 monthly. One month pre-fire, and after they got into feud with neighbor, their electric bill, jumped too approximately. $ 1,200.00 for one month. The neighbor whom they are having problems with alleged to have boasted that he knew how to tamper with a meter to make it run faster, thus causing a higher electric bill. The meter was pulled for non payment with a protective cover inserted and tagged.

During the fire scene response, a replacement meter was found in the service connection, with the security tags cut. I have traced this meter as being reported stolen, the weekend prior to the fire from a nearby farm. The meter was not examined by the responding utility lineman, but he I did not see any visual evidence of the meter being tampered with nor can he say what position the meter was in when pulled.

Based on my scene examination, I have eliminated electrical as being the cause of the fire. I am of the opinion that the fire originated on the rear deck, and then spread into the exterior wall of the manufactured home. This determination is supported by witness statements which include the first firefighters on scene.

My questions are, can a meter be tampered with that would cause it to run faster? If so, how and would should I/we be looking for? I was told that if the meter is inserted upside down, it may cause it to run faster, but I not have any proof and/or documentation to support this.