I Suspect Neighbour Is Stealing My Electricity

LDanger321 on 12/04/2020 - 00:47
Last edited 17/04/2020 - 23:07 by 2 other users

I think either the builder ( or related site supplier) of my APT building or somebody who has intimate knowledge of my building electrical connections had been stealing my electricity.

Been living here for four years.. last year or two, I kept hearing most electrical switch boards clicking.. For one month in December, I used to periodically turn my main power switch off & noticed one neighbor coming out of their apt, head outside of the building then comes back in.. every single time! Believe it or not, my electricity bill, I saved $75 or so that particular month.

I am a female living alone with my daughter staying part time with me. I used to switch elec companies due to high usage when I am hardly home & only use energy saver globes & only fridge running constantly. Police cannot do anything without proof. The thief suspect lives opposite my apt, sharing ceiling space. Their address does not seem to appear registered as if it is vacant .. but families moved in & out may be privately rented out. Last year or so, the owner wanted to move back in & alerted the body corporate they are putting in new flooring in but after strange drilling in the ceiling, my ceiling now have draft wind & occasion movements.. I believe they made a man hole in their ceiling- they can easily roam or access my ceiling- all full of our electrical network lines.

How can stop them from stay connected to my electrical lines if they were confirmed thieves.. strata nor body corporate nor other neighbour are not cooperative nor caring to assist.. Would any electrician know how to detect when they look at my ceiling cavity?

Thanks

Mod: Comments closed. OP will call electrician.

Home & Garden

closed Comments

      • Danger321 on 16/04/2020 - 12:04

        What would the police do with those evidence..?!? I am here for a quick fix to find intermittent solution… prior to spending any more money I currently don’t have & want to spend until I get out- if found to be electricity theft… I just want all those noises to stop in the meantime… I will still be calling an electrician to detach anything that might link to somewhere upon inspection if able.. I will sell up at a loss & move on…

  • lainey13 on 16/04/2020 - 10:57
    +2

    I don't get it. When I lived in a few different apartments I heard all those kind of noises and it was pretty standard. I didn't go straight to "someone is stealing my electricity" or "someone is living in my roof cavity". It was just normal for apartments and that's why I don't live in one now…

    • Danger321 on 16/04/2020 - 11:15
      -1

      Hearing rolling around of your electrical cords in your ceiling as every day- night experience normal..???virtually every night & some overnight???If you wish to bother writing comments, please read carefully first… otherwise, please don’t waste time…
      Also, I wrote “ suspect” … with question marks.
      somebody “living….????” in my ceiling..??? I never wrote somebody living in my ceiling…???!?!?

    • Drj55 on 16/04/2020 - 13:10
      +10

      Last time I lived in an apartment it quite often sounded like the upstairs resident would drop metal ball bearings from a height and then roll them from one end of apartment to the other. At other times they had a herd of elephants pull chairs across the floor. Weird noises in apartments are common.

      • John Kimble on 17/04/2020 - 09:01

        They are likely just vacuuming

  • MementoMori on 16/04/2020 - 12:12
    +1

    Sounds crazy… but… have you tried just talking with them?

    There is a chance they do not know. And, even if they do secretly know, they will know that the gig is up, will play dumb, help you fix it and then back pay your bills.

    This is what we used to do in the 'old days'. Are people really that socially awkward these days? Why has nobody mentioned this after 3 pages of comments?

    Yes, I agree you shouldn't have to do it, and it's slightly uncomfortable to have to do it, but it would be the quickest and easiest way to solve your issue. If it's true it's a very easy thing to prove.

    • MementoMori on 17/04/2020 - 17:35

      I was negged for this?

      Simply talking with your neighbour to work it out is obviously the easiest option.

      Warning: you will have to engage with another human being who is a stranger.

  • dwayne johnson on 16/04/2020 - 13:01
    +1

    An electrician could help turn off all items on a circuit and do a clamp test to see if there is still current draw, they could isolate the circuit, if any, that has unexplained current draw and then investigate. If they find nothing then there is no theft taking place, if they do then they will be able to find the illigal connection and alert the authorities.

    Expect a minimum 4hr callout fee, so maybe get themm to fix up a few things around the house while they are there

    • ChipsChicky on 16/04/2020 - 15:42

      and finally giv thm a rock bottom 😀

  • Starcraftmazter on 16/04/2020 - 17:01
    +2

    I hear weird stuff (especially late hours of the evening) upstairs apartment all the time as well, and I swear they have something like a workshop there (wood). But I don't think they are stealing anything. Anyway, could just be kids playing with some kind of toys or something.

    If the apartment above has wooden floors, it's really easy to hear things falling on it or whatever else of that sort unfortunately, and easy to misconstrue that as something else.

    Just to clarify what is your "normal" and "high" QUARTERLY electricity bill, and what state do you live in, and what discounts do you get from your electricity retailer?

  • samfisher5986 on 16/04/2020 - 19:53
    +1

    Do you have a gas oven/cooktop?

    Might be worth investing in one of these, just in case. https://www.bunnings.com.au/first-alert-battery-operated-car…

    • McScotty on 16/04/2020 - 20:14
      +1

      100% this. This reminds me of that reddit story where some guy got more and more paranoid - turns out he was getting carbon monoxide poisoning (or similar) from a gas leak.

      OP - I ask this for the kindest reason possible. Do you have a history of schizophrenia or other mental illness? If not, please consider that you may be suffering from paranoid delusions from some form of poisoning from a gas leak or similar.

      • samfisher5986 on 16/04/2020 - 20:21

        That Reddit post is exactly what made me think of it

      • lgacb08 on 17/04/2020 - 13:32

        Lol, wouldn't be carbon monoxide, otherwise he wouldn't have lived yo tell his tale.

  • Danger321 on 16/04/2020 - 20:20
    +1

    Thanks last five comments.. appreciate it. I understand my building & many other recently built buildings do not have enough noise insulation. 100% residents directly above do not have children nor have unregulated flooring. I rarely hear other kind of noises other than very close body crawling noises.. ceiling cavity may not be big enough for somebody to climb/crawl around easily- not totally impossible if they were thin build..? One side I am not sure if manhole exists for I cannot see from above my kitchen bench downlight hole where I can easily access to investigate. I can only assume somebody is pulling my cords around if they can get hold of one?? Switch on & off clicking noises all around inside my apt where all my switch boards are… how?? These switches are all near skirting boards except some higher up in my kitchen & bathroom.. how does someone access behind these boards..& click?
    My apt is in Sydney NSW.. one might say the bill is not that expensive but I don’t want anyone accessing my electricity, period.. even if they do not use much..?!? I don’t care.. why should I be paying for someone else..?!? That is my concern..
    D Johnson, if you happen to be an electrician in Sydney, please let me know.. if not, thanks for the information.. if I have some funds available after paying mortgage & other bills, I would love to get an electrician in.. just had not been my priority. I am also hoping they don’t reconnect once an electrician disconnects & leaves.. if through ceiling cavity they can access or through other existing manholes.. as previously mentioned somewhere else, none of the management are trustworthy ( some others in the building do not also). As long as they have access to various different parts of the building Maintence rooms & CCTV … where none would claim responsibility even if trying to put them in jail for it.. These noises are every day occurrence for almost a year & since two other single tenants left the building ( some experienced same/similar inside their apt). Three previous years, this did not happen.. as mentioned earlier today, hardly any clicking etc good sign they may stop for now.. after I annoyed them by turning my main off..? or they reconnected to elsewhere knowing I have turned them off at their most inconvenient time…

    • McScotty on 16/04/2020 - 20:26
      +1

      Have you tried looking in the crawl space while you're hearing the noises? Maybe pull out a downlight and stick your phone through the hole while recording? OP, I'm worried about you.

      • Danger321 on 16/04/2020 - 21:56

        I have.. but every time I pull my down lights out, the movement stops.. obviously, they can hear me doing this…?!?.. just like a cockroach- a ginormous one!! I record using my phone with flash on etc & there is no movement ( although once I saw light but it quickly disappeared).

  • Capo93 on 16/04/2020 - 21:50
    +10

    I keep coming back to this post every night with my popcorn to read the comment. Wish the OP would just call an electrician and let us know the outcome.

    • Danger321 on 16/04/2020 - 21:59
      +1

      Capo93,
      Didn’t realize I had such a group of captivating audience to this thread… A bit of addictive element to the topic … personally I can’t stop responding to some kind community here… enjoy your popcorn & feel free to switch off.. as mentioned two comments ago, I will be getting an electrician.. & will let you all know the outcome…. hopefully you can then avoid gaining any weight due to too much popcorn intake….

      • Capo93 on 16/04/2020 - 22:14
        +2

        Touché I must admit. Some good light banter never goes astray.

        Please let us know the findings from your electrician as I am generally curious.

  • kwonsie on 16/04/2020 - 22:28
    +1

    mad troll

    • Danger321 on 16/04/2020 - 22:38

      Now now… kwonsie… your comment just made the plot thicken…
      Capo93 will need to shed more weight after this….

      • Capo93 on 16/04/2020 - 23:37

        Sorry, been busy, just got off the treadmill. What have I missed?

    • mapax on 16/04/2020 - 22:38
      +1

      Nah. She suspects it’s her neighbour stealing the power, not an angry troll…

      • Danger321 on 16/04/2020 - 22:59

        mapax,
        Thanks for that… you just summed up in one sentence.. short & sweet!

      • ssquid on 16/04/2020 - 23:07
        +2

        Fe Fi Fo Faker,
        Up in the roof, it's me, the neighbour!

  • drawntoher on 16/04/2020 - 23:48
    +4

    hello, i’ve worked on numerous appartments
    by reading your comments you said that when you turn off your main switch/circuit breaker you are talking about the subboard inside your appartment.

    if you turn that off and believe they are responding to it, doesn’t mean anything yet,
    First of all if your scenario was correct, that would mean they have tapped off one of your sub circuits.
    This in most cases if it were true could be either
    1- they were the construction worker during the process and ran a cable through
    2- they made a hole dividing your wall and tapped on
    3- they aren’t and you’re paranoid

    my suggestion to you is, get an electrician, he might not find it but get him to do an insulation resistance check on your circuit (after you unplugged everything ) on 1000V so it’ll blow all the lottle electronics on the circuit HAHA

    or take off powerpoint on the same wall check if there’s anything poking through the back wall/ check the ceiling to see if there’s anything other than a white cable or anything that might represent a connection/ any holes in the wall at all any excess amount of dust from drilling through

    do the test again turn of your power whatnot and stick your ear on the wall find out where the sound is coming from cause if your case was right the hole must be there.

    most appartment/residential high risers use (hebel) as a dividing wall and metal frames to build a wall and hebel is very easy to cut with the right tool.

    There’s no point getting into the distribution board where your meter is if you reckon when you turn off your power in your appartment it turns off theirs

    electricity works like this

    Supply———————meter——————your house————-powerpoints
    lights etc

    • Danger321 on 17/04/2020 - 13:17

      drawntoher… omg.. I am totally drawntoyou..!! I had pen marks on the wall & finger marks all along one side of my ceiling down lights.. not 100% but there is a new yellow electrical line encasing connecting to the suspected neighbours ceiling I do not recall seeing when I checked my ceiling cavity from previous years connecting to my dividing wall where it leads to my outdoor outlet of gas & electricity where I hear clicking the most lately… 1 & 2 absolutely!! Builders who did provide & wired the whole building live here & their accomplices..& air conditioning fitters etc ( wasn’t going to mention but my brand new air conditioning units got swapped to older models when I got home once but couldn’t prove to anyone etc)..also noticed different socket cover once in my court yard where I have electricity & gas connection power point socket is.. there were numerous electrical part looking items found in my apt after been away.. evidence of entry & had marks & chips on my walls etc etc.. If you are based in Sydney, could I pleasssse hire you ??? You are spot on about what I have been discovering & observing ..!!! I believe the same suspects are renovating another building behind my building, too..

      • Obkay on 17/04/2020 - 20:20
        +1

        Damn guys they changed OPs entire air conditioning system when she was not at home and she can't prove it to anyone.

        • Danger321 on 17/04/2020 - 20:53
          -2

          Mine were larger & white.. what’s in now are off white/beige.. so I didn’t realise the difference initially.. Never in my dreams some scums would do this!!!

          • Obkay on 17/04/2020 - 21:41
            +1

            @Danger321: How could they… even hitler wouldnt do such a thing.

      • drawntoher on 17/04/2020 - 20:42

        based in 2166, where are you?

        • Danger321 on 17/04/2020 - 20:54

          Inner west of Sydney

  • pufffdragon on 17/04/2020 - 00:37

    I'm starting to wonder if you have termites. Those things make loud clicking noises all the time. I know, my house was infested with them.

    • elgrande on 17/04/2020 - 07:10
      +1

      Did you get rid of the house or the termites?

      • John Kimble on 17/04/2020 - 07:15
        +3

        Termites got rid of the house.

    • Skinnerr on 17/04/2020 - 08:21

      Electric termites.

  • randomusername2017 on 17/04/2020 - 03:06

    90 down 10 to go…

  • Rosh272 on 17/04/2020 - 07:51

    Time to time, turn off your all power sources and check your electricity meter. Then it should zero or not working. If it's working for some reason, inform the authority

    • John Kimble on 17/04/2020 - 07:55

      She doesn't have (easy) access to her meter

  • seedyrom on 17/04/2020 - 09:21
    +6
    1. Remove down light.
    2. Stick a rod, pool cue, Pleasure Master 2000 etc into the hole till you touch the concrete of the floor above you.
    3. Note that there is less than 1 foot of crawl space.
    4. Note that there would be nothing to support a persons weight (a person moving on plasterboard would fall through into your apartment).
    5. Note that there are beams, wires, waste water pipes and a thousand other things which would inhibit movement.
    6. Realise that NO HUMAN is crawling around your roof.
    • picket23 on 17/04/2020 - 10:28
      +2

      seedyrom clearly part of the conspiracy. They've found your thread OP!

      RUN!!

      • onelove on 17/04/2020 - 20:14

        wot

      • bmerigan on 17/04/2020 - 22:32

        OMG don't say that!

    • ddhar on 17/04/2020 - 12:10

      It's the ceiling cat!!

  • zzymurgy on 17/04/2020 - 10:55
    +1

    $140 is not a high electricity bill. Certainly not worth stealing for. And an electrician will cost at least that much.

    How much is your actual consumption of power? If it is anything near 10kWh per day, you will be wasting your money hiring an electrician.

    Come back when your bills are over $1000 and then you will know.

  • tako on 17/04/2020 - 11:40
    +1

    "Marble dropping phenomena"
    Noises explained.

  • John Stone on 17/04/2020 - 19:47
    +6

    So many different groups of people in this thread

    Those that know the OP is trolling
    Those that think the OP is serious.
    Those that think the OP is serious, and are giving serious advice
    Those that think the OP is serious, but is delusional and are therefore trolling them.
    Those that know others are trolling OP
    Those that think the advice given to OP by the trollers is serious.
    Those that are just sitting with the popcorn and watching this unfold because its great isolation entertainment.

    I love you OzBargain. Don’t ever change!

    • Danger321 on 17/04/2020 - 20:48

      John Stone,
      You sounded like you had two bowls of popcorn…
      One for reading slightly fare few thread of comments then summing up in point form…

      • John Stone on 17/04/2020 - 21:31
        +5

        I say the following very honestly and openly.

        If you are trolling - I hope you had fun. I am sorry that you feel that your circumstances right now mean that you need to do this.

        If you are serious - Please seek help from your GP. It is quite obvious to myself and many others in this thread that your thoughts and theories of what is occurring is not normal and that you need to seek outside assistance.

        In either case, best of luck to you. I have left some numbers below which I ask you to at least consider.

        If you or anyone you know needs help:

        Lifeline on 13 11 14
        Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800
        MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
        Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
        Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
        Headspace on 1800 650 890
        ReachOut at au.reachout.com
        Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN) on 1800 008 774

    • Matt88 on 17/04/2020 - 20:49

      Just read the first few comments and then jump to here - nice summary

  • neo on 17/04/2020 - 21:05

    All we need now is for hellopam and IVI to enter the thread and all hell breaks loose!

  • Piranha2004 on 17/04/2020 - 22:33

    Now supposedly her OzB account got hacked… The drama is killing me.

  • Danger321 on 17/04/2020 - 22:34

    Many of my comments were getting reported?!? hidden?!? Why??? Somebody related or linked to my story have obviously joined..?!?
    Please stop quoting me with mental help lines. If this happened to your mother or sister, you will not be responding that way. This event did not just happen to me & we single women are not going crazy.
    As said, I will now be getting an electrician in..
    Thanks to those who gave me helpful advises.
    Those who were did not, do not comment any further, thank you.

    • John Kimble on 17/04/2020 - 22:39

      No normal user can delete comments, not even their own. Moderators can do certain things, but they usually don't do it proactively, someone has to report the comment…and there is evidence of it. Nothing disappears. So not sure what you are talking about.

      • Danger321 on 17/04/2020 - 22:44
        +1

        Most of my replies were hidden/deleted.. I have requested the site management to delete the original post. I am fed up with people commenting I need to see a councillor ??? All I need to do is to hire an electrician it seems & my suspicion will be confirmed or I can rest at night once resolved. I am getting pretty upset.

        • John Kimble on 17/04/2020 - 22:52

          A mod will close the post when they get to it. I'll report it too in case you didn't do it correctly.

          All the best.

          PS - Would love to hear how you go with the sparky, but I don't blame you if you don't provide an update.

        • Moderatorneil on 17/04/2020 - 23:06

          Out of the 103 comments you posted in this thread, only 1 was removed for being a duplicate (you posted the same comment twice). 3 of 103 comments were negatively voted against which collapses the comment for users but still published.

          Anyway, seems you have sorted the issue or not. Thread closed.

    • monkeyfood on 17/04/2020 - 22:44

      advice

    • ssquid on 17/04/2020 - 22:54

      What made you choose this website as the place to post about your problem anyway?

      • John Kimble on 17/04/2020 - 22:55

        We are the premier forum for advice for everything from a to z

        • ssquid on 17/04/2020 - 22:59

          Perhaps, but except for bad drivers with no insurance most people find their way to the main site before venturing into the forums. OP doesn't seem like much of a bargain seeker.

        • Danger321 on 17/04/2020 - 23:03

          Thanks John,
          My experience in this was 90% positive so far.. I loved some of the banter too… just that 10% ruined it with their insensitive & unnecessary comments.
          I may consider briefly posting the outcome if people cared to read it once investigated by an electrician.

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