Overload

"Right. But stopping the disc does no harm, so when the wire’s removed, everything’s back the way it should be."

"Except for that little hole."

"You’d never notice it," the serviceman behind them said, "unless you were looking hard. My guess is, the guy used a jeweler’s drill to make the hole, which is why the glass didn’t break. Damn clever."

"He won’t feel so clever when he gets his next bill," London said. "Besides which, we’ll watch the house tonight. More than likely the neighbors will tell him about us being here, which will make him nervous and he’ll want to take out that wire. When he does, and if we catch him at it, we can make a prosecution stick."

They left while the photographer was taking close-ups of the incriminating hole and wire.

At the communications center, reports of other discoveries continued to flow in. An even more ingenious power thief had penetrated the heart of his electric meter, apparently filing off several teeth from a shaft gear which turned the meter recording disc. This had the effect of slowing the disc and reducing recorded consumption by approximately half. The downtown Billing Department, searching their records, estimated the cheating had gone on for three years, undetected.

In another instance a customer had adroitly switched meters. Somehow he had obtained an extra electric meter-Harry London suspected it was stolen-and substituted it for the regular meter supplied by GSP & L. Obviously the customer left his "private" meter in place for a portion of each billing period, during which any electricity used was "free."

Though gas meters were considered more difficult to tamper with, this had not deterred some ambitious freeloaders. As London put it, "Disconnecting or connecting a gas meter takes some plumbing skill, but not much. A do-it-yourselfer can catch on fast."

One such do-it-yourselfer, a meter reader found, had removed his gas meter entirely, filling the gap with a length of rubber hose. It was a dangerous theft method, but effective. Presumably the meter was left disconnected for part of each month, then replaced near the time a regular meter reading was expected. Another offender-a businessman owning several adjacent stores which he leased to others-had acted similarly, except his gas meter was reversed, with its face turned toward the wall, causing it to run backwards. It was here the only violent incident of the day erupted. The businessman, enraged at being discovered, attacked the company serviceman with a pipe wrench and beat him badly. The serviceman was later taken to the hospital with a broken arm and nose, the businessman to jail where he faced assault and other charges. One facet of the many cases being uncovered puzzled Nim. He told Harry London, "I thought our billing computers were programmed to signal warnings of abrupt changes in any customer’s consumption."

“They are, and they do," London acknowledged. "Trouble is, people are getting wise to computers, learning to outwit them. It isn’t hard. If you steal power and have the sense to reduce your bills gradually-a little the first month, then a little more every month after that, instead of a big reduction all at once-a computer will never pick it up."

"Any way you look at it, we’re on the losing side."

"Maybe right now. But that will change."

Nim was less sure. Perhaps the most bizarre episode occurred at mid-afternoon when London received a message at the communications center, calling him to an address a mile or so away. The house, they saw on arrival, was large and modern; it had a landscaped garden and a long curyed driveway in which a shiny Mercedes was parked. The ubiquitous orange and white GSP & L vehicles were assembled on the road outside. The same young serviceman who had been at the gas station-garage complex this morning approached London’s car as it pulled up. "Problems," he announced. "Need some help."

"What kind of problems?"

One of the Property Protection staffers, who had joined them, said, “The woman inside is threatening to turn a dog loose on us. It’s a big German Shepherd. She says her husband’s a doctor, a big wheel in the community, and they’ll sue the company if we cause them any trouble."

"What brought you here?"

The serviceman answered. "One of the meter readers-a sharp college kid-reported a suspicious wire. He was right, I took a look behind the electric meter, and the pot strap’s been dropped, with two wires bridging it. I traced the wires to a switch in the garage-there was no one around and the garage door was open. That’s when the woman showed up with the dog."

Nim looked puzzled. London ordered, "Explain to Mr. Goldman."

"At the back of some types of meter there’s a ‘potential strap,’ " the serviceman said. "If it’s disconnected-‘dropped’-it breaks a circuit so the meter stops registering. But put a switch across, in place of the pot strap, and the meter can be turned on and off whenever you want."

"And that’s been done here?"

"Sure has."

Nim cautioned, "You’re absolutely certain?"

"I’ll swear to it."

The Property Protection man added, "I saw it, too. There isn’t any doubt." He consulted a notebook. “The customer’s name is Edgecombe."

"Okay," London said, "to hell with the dog! Call for a photo, and let’s try to get evidence."

They waited while the serviceman used a radio transmitter in his truck, then Harry London led the small procession up the driveway, As the), neared the house, a tall, handsome woman, probably in her forties, emerged through the front door. She was wearing blue linen slacks and a matching silk shirt; long, dark brown hair was tied back with a scarf. Beside her was a German Shepherd, growling and straining on a leash which the woman held. She announced coldly, "I warned you men that if you continue trespassing I’ll release this dog and you can take the consequences. Now get off this property!"

"Madam," London said firmly, "I caution you to hang on to that dog or tie it up. I’m a security officer for Golden State Power & Light"-he produced a badge-"and this is Mr. Goldman, a vice president of the company."

"Vice presidents don’t impress me," the woman snapped. "My husband knows the president of your company well, and the chairman."

"In that case," Nim told her, "I’m sure he’ll appreciate that everyone here today is simply doing his job. You are Mrs. Edgecombe?"

She answered haughtily, "Yes."

"Our Service Department has reported you have an illegal installation across your electric meter."

"If there is, we know nothing about it. My husband’s an important orthopedic surgeon, and he’s operating today or I’d call him to deal with your impertinence now."

For all the bravado, Nim thought, there was a hint of nervousness in the woman’s eyes and voice. London caught it, too "Mrs. Edgecombe," he said, “we want to take photographs of the electric meter and some wires behind it; they lead to a switch in your garage. We’d appreciate it if you’d give us permission."

"And if I won’t?"

“Then we’ll seek a court order. But I should point out in that case everything will become a matter of public record."

The woman hesitated and Nim wondered if she realized Harry London was largely bluffing. By the time a court order was obtained the evidence could have been destroyed. But the exchange had flustered her. "That won’t be necessary," she conceded. "Very well, do what you must, but be quick about it."

"Just one other thing, madam," London said. "When we’re finished here, your electricity will be disconnected until the arrears, which our Billing Department will estimate, are paid."

"That’s ridiculous! My husband will have plenty to say about that." Mrs. Edgecombe turned away, fastening the dog’s leash to a steel ring in the wall. Nim observed that her hands were trembling.

* * *

"Why do they do it-people like that?" Nim posed the question softly, asking it of himself as much as Harry London. They were in London’s car, headed once more for the shopping plaza where Nim would retrieve his own car, then drive downtown. He had seen more than enough of Brookside, he decided, and enough of power thievery to grasp truly, for the first time, the size and hydra-beaded nature of the beast.

“There’s lots of reasons why they do it," London answered. "Where we’ve just been, and at the other places, too. For one thing, people talk. They like to boast about how smart they are, beating a big outfit like Golden State Power. And while they’re talking, others listen, then do the same thing later."