28-515.02 Electric current, gas, and water; avoiding meter measurement; reconnection; penalty. - Nebraska Statutes

28-515.02. Electric current, gas, and water; avoiding meter measurement; reconnection; penalty.(1) It is unlawful for any person:(a) To connect any instrument, device, or contrivance with any wire supplying or intended to supply electricity or electric current or to connect any pipe or conduit supplying gas or water, without the knowledge and consent of the supplier of such products, in such manner that any portion thereof may be supplied to any instrument by or at which electricity, electric current, gas, or water may be consumed without passing through the meter made or provided for measuring or registering the amount or quantity thereof passing through it;(b) To knowingly use or knowingly permit the use of electricity, electric current, gas, or water obtained unlawfully pursuant to this section;(c) To reconnect electrical, gas, or water service without the knowledge and consent of the supplier of such service if the service has been disconnected pursuant to sections 70-1601 to 70-1615; or(d) To willfully injure, alter, or by any instrument, device, or contrivance in any manner interfere with or obstruct the action or operation of any meter made or provided for measuring or registering the amount or quantity of electricity, electric current, gas, or water passing through it, without the knowledge and consent of the supplier of the electricity, electric current, gas, or water passing or intended to pass through such meter.(2) Proof of the existence of any wire, pipe, or conduit connection or reconnection or of any injury, alteration, interference, or obstruction of a meter is prima facie evidence of the guilt of the person in possession of the premises where such connection, reconnection, injury, alteration, interference, or obstruction is proved to exist.(3) A violation of this section is a Class III misdemeanor. SourceLaws 1911, c. 47, §§ 1, 2, 4, 6, pp. 228, 229, 230, 231; R.S.1913, §§ 7423, 7424, 7426, 7427; C.S.1922, §§ 7116, 7117, 7119, 7120; Laws 1923, c. 86, § 1, p. 228; C.S.1929, §§ 86-320, 86-321, 86-323, 86-324; R.S.1943, § 86-329; Laws 1977, LB 39, § 327; Laws 1995, LB 92, § 1; R.S.1943, (1999), § 86-329; Laws 2002, LB 1105, § 431.