Almost a dozen reports of stolen electricity have been investigated by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department so far this year. Public Information officer Leslie Earhart says that in most cases the owner or renter is to blame. Electrical workers sometimes find power on after being cut off over a month prior. To steal electricity someone would need to tamper with the meter box and this is both illegal and dangerous as an arc could cause an explosion. There are 240 volts in a meter box which is enough to electrocute someone. More people are killed by 120 volts than all the other voltages put together. Meter readers check places regularly if the power has been cut off to make sure it’s still off. Deputies do take a report and investigate these cases and many times suspects are more easily determined. (bg)