Stolen Electricity Box Switch

TheNabster

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Howzit,

Our electricity box is outside of our house and someone just cut the wires and has stolen the switch.

We are renting and the box doesn't seem to lock.

Has anyone experienced this before?
What do I do?
 

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They used spanners to disconnect the terminals and cut some wires to steal the copper bus bars outside our place earlier this year in June.
I checked back on the camera footage, these guys wore gloves and took around half an hour to complete the job, with sparks flying and everything.
 

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They used spanners to disconnect the terminals and cut some wires to steal the copper bus bars outside our place earlier this year in June.
I checked back on the camera footage, these guys wore gloves and took around half an hour to complete the job, with sparks flying and everything.

Bunch of bastards.

What was the repair process like? I'm concerned because there's live wires exposed and we have kids walking up and down our road.
 
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Bunch of bastards.

What was the repair process like? I'm concerned because there's live wires exposed and we have kids walking up and down our road.
COCT, same day service.

Disconnected at 02h00 according to my inverter, reported it at 07h00 when I first noticed it, the COCT team arrived at around 14h00. Nogal a Monday too, so Kudus to the COCT Electrical Team.
Oh, at around 09h00 a private contractor in a bakkie arrived and put tape over the exposed wires.

They did not reinstall new bus bars, the COCT team said that would be done at a later date.
The connection is spliced together with thick metal connector blocks which were tightened with spanners, and then taped over, all in a bunch at the bottom of the box.
Luckily the thieves never took the box cover with them.

Looking at it another way, if you didn't pay your Electricity Bill, the COCT would not be able to disconnect you, well not easily, as they'd need to replace the bus bars, so that the neighbour can get electricity. Pity I didn't take an after pic.
 
Maybe city power might repair the switch but get the box done, even if it's at your cost and lock it, there is no reading of the meter so access will only be required under exceptional circumstances.
 
Maybe city power might repair the switch but get the box done, even if it's at your cost and lock it, there is no reading of the meter so access will only be required under exceptional circumstances.

Yep, I'm speaking to the landlord to try and put a cage around the box outside.
 
Yep, I'm speaking to the landlord to try and put a cage around the box outside.
This is what we’ve had to put in (our own cost and ownership) for SSEG.
97C0E841-2EAC-407A-B2CB-589672B9565B.jpeg

What’s nice is there is space for two padlocks on that bolt. One is mine and one is Eskom’s. If they want access they can unlock and slide the bolt one way, if I want access I unlock and slide the other way.
 
This is what we’ve had to put in (our own cost and ownership) for SSEG.
View attachment 1755955

What’s nice is there is space for two padlocks on that bolt. One is mine and one is Eskom’s. If they want access they can unlock and slide the bolt one way, if I want access I unlock and slide the other way.

Oh that is pretty cool. What are these things called? And how much was it? Maybe I should suggest something like this to the landlord.
 
 
Anyone else have their electricity box on the inside instead of the outside like the norm?
 
Technically everyone's is outside, might be on a pole or a street cabinet that hoses switches for several homes. That doesn't mean you won't have another one inside.
 
Technically everyone's is outside, might be on a pole or a street cabinet that hoses switches for several homes. That doesn't mean you won't have another one inside.
The kiosk holds different stuff in different places. Here where I am, it holds the meter and a breaker. Where I lived prior, everything was inside the home - meter and mains breaker. The house was wired to the street pole via two cables entering on the roof. Some people only have a breaker at street level with the meter in the home.
 
The kiosk holds different stuff in different places. Here where I am, it holds the meter and a breaker. Where I lived prior, everything was inside the home - meter and mains breaker. The house was wired to the street pole via two cables entering on the roof. Some people only have a breaker at street level with the meter in the home.

Okay, I was talking particularly with regards to the breaker or the "box" referred to in the OP, there should always be one isolating the cable coming into you home, hence me saying everyone's box is outside.
 
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