‘21,306 electricity theft cases recorded in first 10 months of 2016’

AMMAN — A total of 21,306 electricity thefts have been detected between the beginning of the year and the end of October, 10,016 of which have been discovered by the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC), according to its chief commissioner. 

The cases detected by EMRC in the January-October period constituted 47 per cent of the total cases detected by the commission, the Public Security Department (PSD), the Gendarmerie Department and the Kingdom’s three electricity distribution companies, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted EMRC chief Farouq Hiyari as saying on Saturday.

In 2015, the EMRC registered 5,616 cases of electricity theft, the chief commissioner noted.

In this year’s January-October period, the PSD and the Gendarmerie Department together detected 3,707 thefts, while the electricity distribution companies discovered 7,583 cases, he noted.

Hiyari added that 2,975 cases are being examined in court, noting that final rulings have been issued in 1,406 cases during the first 10 months of the year, Petra reported.

In October alone, the chief commissioner said that EMRC, through its offices at electricity distribution companies, detected 1,062 cases out of the total of 1,927.

Of the cases uncovered by the EMRC, 637 were in the area covered by the Jordanian Electric Power Company, which distributes electricity to Amman, Zarqa, Balqa and Madaba, according to Hiyari.

A total of 332 thefts were registered in the Irbid District Electricity Company’s areas, which include the northern governorates of Irbid, Mafraq, Jerash and Ajloun, while 93 cases were in areas covered by the Electricity Distribution Company, which include the southern governorates of Aqaba, Maan, Karak and Tafileh.

If convicted, defendants in electricity theft cases face imprisonment from six months to two years or a fine no less than JD2,000, and no more than JD10,000.