Birmingham worst in country for gas theft as offences rocket by a quarter

Criminals either fiddle the meter to make it seem less gas has been used or bypass it altogether

Gas thefts rocketed by a quarter last year - with Birmingham the worst place for the crime. Confirmed thefts throughout England, Scotland and Wales rose by more than 25 per cent in 2023/24 to 3,791 instances, up from 3,028 in 2022/23.

A total of 660 instances were confirmed in Birmingham since April 2023, far clear of the 372 in London, 269 in Liverpool, 245 in Bradford and 244 in Leeds in the same period. In the most common cases, gas theft involves either bypassing the gas meter - which leaves the gas supply unregulated and uncharged - or gas meter tampering, so an incorrect amount of gas is recorded.

But the UK's biggest gas distribution network, Cadent, warned both methods could leave gas meters at risk of leaks, fires or explosions. It said only a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer should be allowed to access a meter or gas pipe.

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The offence also carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to £2,000, and those who steal gas are made to pay back what they owe. Cadent said the crime added an extra £50 to annual bills.

The company said the theft of gas was not a new phenomenon but there were concerns over the steep rise.

Signs a gas supply has been tampered with

• Smell of gas – The smell of gas around the meter means that something is definitely wrong.

• Meter turned around, reversed or tilted – If the meter has been turned back-to-front, there is a chance this has been done to hide the original dials or prevent the registration of gas usage and is a sure sign of meter tampering.

• Meter bypassed or bridged – If the meter has been bypassed by a pipe made specially for the purpose it is to avoid the registration of gas through the meter.

• Meter substituted – A substitute meter being used in replacement of the official meter provided by the supplier and registered in Xoserve. (Xoserve is the organisation who has the registration of all gas meters with gas suppliers. It is illegal to have gas meter that is not registered with a gas supplier.)

• Evidence of poor workmanship – If apparatus appears not to be laid to gas industry standards (e.g. Polyethylene pipe laid above ground), with unsuitable fittings (e.g. water pipe or hose pipe) or obvious poor-quality workmanship.

• Pipework installed by an unregistered person – Only registered individuals can work on a service pipe, meter or installation pipework, if you know that pipework has been installed or altered by an unregistered person, be sure to report it so that we can confirm it is safe.

• No meter present – no evidence of a gas meter, yet gas is being used at the property.

To report gas theft anonymously, contact your supplier directly. If you smell gas or suspect a gas leak, immediately call the Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.