Energy theft puts lives at risk, not just household budgets. Tampered and bypassed meters can cause fires, explosions and gas leaks, and it is estimated that as many as 25,000 cases go unreported in Great Britain every year. It also costs the average paying household around £50 annually.
Knowing how to report energy theft, quickly and anonymously, is one of the simplest ways to keep your community safe.
Our comprehensive guide on energy theft goes into more depth, and this page covers exactly what to do to report it.
How to Report Energy Theft: Your Three Options
Our energy theft hotline is free to call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You'll never be asked for your name, and lines are answered by trained Crimestoppers staff who handle reports of gas theft and electricity theft alike.
Report Online
Prefer not to speak to someone? Report energy theft online instead, with exactly the same anonymity as the phone line guarantees. It's available any time, day or night.
What Information to Have Ready
When you call or report energy theft online, our trained team will ask a few questions to help build the picture, including:
- Where is the energy theft taking place?
- Who do you think is committing the theft?
- Do you know whether the energy theft relates to gas, electricity or both?
- How is the energy theft being committed?
- Are there any other details you can tell us?
Having this information helps, but don't worry if you can't answer every question. Even the smallest piece of information can help keep people safe.
If you don't know the exact address, you can now share the location using what3words, a simple way to pinpoint a spot using just three words instead of a full postcode.
Reporting energy theft anonymously is everyone’s responsibility. Speak up. Stay safe.
Is Reporting Energy Theft Really Anonymous?
Yes, completely. Our call agents always make sure that the information that you provide doesn’t contain any details that could identify you.
You'll never be asked for your name, your phone number isn't recorded, and we don't track your IP address or use cookies that store personal data.
Stay Energy Safe is run by Crimestoppers, an independent charity that guarantees the anonymity of anyone who contacts them, so nothing you report can ever be traced back to you, or your devices.
What Crimestoppers Does with Your Report
Once you've reported the supply or meter tampering, Crimestoppers passes on what you've told them to the relevant energy supplier or network to investigate. You won't be contacted again or asked to get involved any further. Your part ends the moment you report.
If you report online, you can choose to leave a way to keep in contact, for example if the supplier has a follow-up question. This is entirely optional and doesn't affect your anonymity either way, you're free to decline and still submit a full report.
What Happens When You Report Energy Theft?
The industry regulator, Ofgem, sets the rules that mean a supplier must investigate reports. Once your report reaches the relevant energy supplier or network, they will carry out an investigation and, if tampering is confirmed, make the meter and supply safe. You, the reporter, are never contacted or involved in what happens next.
In many cases, this means a genuinely dangerous situation gets resolved. If you report meter tampering, the tampered meter can be fixed before anyone gets hurt. The person responsible may also be required to pay back what they stole and cover any damage caused, so the cost stops being spread across paying customers like you.
If you've ever felt it's unfair that you're covering your bills in full while someone nearby isn't, reporting is how that gets put right.
What to Report: Signs of Energy Theft to Look Out For
Not sure whether what you've noticed is worth reporting? Here's what to look out for:
- visible signs of meter tampering, exposed wiring, broken seals, or altered pipework
- a neighbour's bills that seem unusually low
- the smell of gas near a meter cupboard
- signs of a cannabis farm nearby, blacked-out windows, constant humming, heavy condensation
- wiring that looks altered or doesn't lead where it should
Any of these can point to a genuinely dangerous situation.
Electricity theft can result in wires and cables being incorrectly connected, left loose or exposed, which can easily overheat, catch alight and cause appliances to become ‘live’ to the touch. This can lead to burns, shocks and fires. Gas theft can also lead to gas leaks. A mix of just 5% gas in the air is enough to trigger an explosion that could claim lives, destroy entire premises and severely damage neighbouring properties.
Learn more about how to spot and prevent meter tampering here.
Signs of Electricity Theft
Watch for:
- exposed or altered wiring near a meter
- scorch marks on the casing or cables
- a meter that stops spinning, advancing or is blank even when appliances are in use
- multiple switches and appliances that feel "live" to the touch
Ella the Electricity Meter walks through exactly what to look for here. If you spot any of these signs, report your electricity theft suspicions to Stay Energy Safe, 100% anonymously. Always.
Signs of Gas Theft
Watch for:
- a meter that looks tampered with
- unusual or out-of-place pipework
- the smell of gas near the meter cupboard
- the meter is connected in reverse
If you smell gas, that's a gas emergency, not an energy theft report, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 immediately.
Gavin the Gas Meter covers the signs in more detail here. If you spot any of these signs, report your gas theft suspicions to Stay Energy Safe, completely anonymously.
Energy theft can destroy homes, businesses, and livelihoods, and tear families apart. Whoever you are, wherever you live, everyone deserves to feel safe. That means knowing what to look for and how to report energy theft.
Crimestoppers gives people the peace of mind that they can tell us what they know, 100% anonymously.
Call Stay Energy Safe on 0800 023 2777 or complete the simple online form.