ENROLLED
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
H. B. 3161
(By Delegates Stemple, Varner and Kominar)
[Passed March 10, 2007; in effect ninety days from passage.]
AN ACT to amend and reenact §61-3-45 of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to the theft of oil, natural gas,
water, telecommunications and electric service; and increasing
the maximum fine upon conviction.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §61-3-45 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY.
§61-3-45. Tampering with pipes, tubes, wires or electrical
conductors; penalty.
Every person who, with intent to injure or defraud, connects,
or causes to be connected, any pipe, tube, wire, electrical
conductor or other instrument with any main, service pipe, or other
pipe or conduit or flume for conducting water, or with any main,
service pipe, or other pipe or conduit for conducting oil, natural
gas, or with any main, service wire or other electric conductor used for the purpose of conducting electric energy for light, heat
or motive services, for the purpose of taking therefrom water, oil,
natural gas, telecommunications service, or electric energy,
without the knowledge of the owner thereof and with intent to evade
payment therefor, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be confined in jail not exceeding twelve months, or
fined not exceeding two thousand dollars, or both, in the
discretion of the court;