A couple appeared before the court in Alès (Gard), Friday June 7, 2024. The 37-year-old man was suspected of having tampered with the Linky meters of several residents of the town for sums of money. His partner was judged for having taken advantage of it to improve her lifestyle, reports Free Midday .
The thirty-year-old, a Veolia employee, installed bypasses on the meters, making it possible to reduce beneficiaries’ actual consumption by ten. He charged between €250 and €500 for each operation, says the local newspaper. A maneuver brought to light by the operator Enedis thanks to the alarms which were triggered when the meters opened.
€58,000 returned
During the investigation, the courts seized a vehicle and €70,000 from the defendant’s account. But at the hearing, the latter explained that these were personal savings unrelated to the case and coming from help from his family or social benefits. According to our colleagues, however, he admitted to having tampered with between 20 and 30 meters “to be of service”.
While the prosecutor requested the confiscation of the sum and the car, the defendant’s lawyer succeeded in demonstrating that the money essentially came from family help. Only €12,000 was ultimately retained from the confiscated money. The man still received a year in prison with an electronic bracelet, and a three-month suspended prison sentence was given to his partner. The couple will also have to pay fines, notes Free Midday.
To find out more: read the article by Free Midday
