Second suspect remanded in meter-tampering scam

A 34-YEAR-old Nicosia man was yesterday remanded in custody for eight days on suspicion of illegally adjusting electricity meters to indicate lower readings.

Charalambos Kitromilides was arrested on Wednesday after he was named by another suspect, 71-year-old retired Electricity Authority technician Michalis Masouras, who has been in custody since December 19.

Masouras allegedly made thousands of pounds by tampering with electricity meters across the island and ‘fixing’ them so that they indicated lower readings.

Police told the court yesterday that Masouras and Kitromilides had ‘fixed’ four meters in Nicosia.

The court heard that the owner of one of the meters had named the suspect as the one who approached him to tamper with his meter and the one he paid the money to after the job was done.

Police said Kitromilides had admitted to collaborating with Masouras to adjust an additional three meters that police did not know about so far.

They told the court that Kitromilides admitted he was receiving money from the owners of the meters but claimed that he gave the money to Masouras.

Kitromilides was among a list of names found in Masouras’ notebook last December.

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