Man, 71, remanded again on electricity tampering charges

By a Staff Reporter

THE 71-year-old pensioner last week charged with tampering with electricity meters nationwide was yesterday remanded for another eight days in connection with a further 17 charges of committing the same crime in Larnaca.

Michalis Masouras, a former employee of the Cyprus Electricity Authority (EAC), is suspected of altering the electricity meters for a fee, in order to get customers cheaper power.

The Nicosia pensioner was remanded for four days on Thursday, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit felony and theft of electricity.

Police charged him with receiving £2,000 for allegedly tampering with electricity meters on the property of a man in Ayia Napa.

At the time of his arrest, police said they found a notebook listing at least 65 homes and businesses across the island where Masouras had allegedly offered his services.

As soon as he was released, Larnaca CID got a warrant for his arrest and picked him up on Sunday. A Larnaca court yesterday remanded him for eight days on charges of swindling the EAC out of profits on 17 properties in Larnaca town and district during 2001.

Meanwhile Limassol CID armed with a search warrant have impounded 22 electricity meters from 15 homes and properties in Limassol town and district.

They will be examined to determine whether they may have been doctored.

Police also confiscated another four electricity meters from a property in Pano Zodeia, in Morphou, belonging to a 72-year-old man from Astromeritis

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