No electric service customer shall be permitted to take current for residence or commercial lighting purposes at power rates, nor shall any lighting apparatus be attached or suffered to remain attached to any power meter. It shall be unlawful for any person to employ any scheme, device or contrivance for the purpose of evading the proper service and registration of any meter or to employ any scheme or device whereby he or she may obtain current which does not pass through the meter furnished him or her by the city. Finding lighting apparatus attached to a power meter or any device in or near any meter which causes the meter to register incorrectly shall be prima facie evidence of the intent of the occupier of the premises, or of the customer, to convert electric current to his or her own use, which is hereby declared unlawful and the person convicted of the violation shall be punished as provided in this chapter. If it shall appear to the city that any light or power meter shall have been tapped or tampered with, it is hereby empowered to direct the Utilities Manager to install or cause to be installed, at the customer’s expense, a meter installed in iron conduit mechanically sealed in a closed meter box accessible only to the city or its agents.
(Prior Code, § 52-35) Penalty, see § 51.99