A Lewis County man is facing a felony charge for allegedly using an illegally modified meter to steal $10,663 in electricity between May 2018 and May 2024.
The theft was discovered when an electrical technician with the Lewis County Public Utility District (PUD) responded to a residence in the 1000 block of Highway 603 between Napavine and Chehalis on May 8 to replace the meter, according to charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court.
“When the technicians arrived, they observed the seal on the meter had been cut and suspicious wires were coming from the inside of the residence into the meter box,” the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office states in charging documents.
The resident and owner of the property has since been identified as David Lantau, 69, according to court documents.
When interviewed on May 21, Lantau “initially denied knowing anything about the modified meter,” but later allegedly “admitted he had a friend who modified the meter box … and knew the power being siphoned through the two wires was not being metered and was not being billed,” according to court documents.
Lantau allegedly admitted the wires were modified “sometime in 1993” and did not identify the “friend” who modified the box.
The PUD has since determined the two wires had produced an average of 66 kilowatts of power per day between May 10, 2018, and May 9, 2024, according to court documents.
“The total amount of electricity used and not paid for was calculated to be $10,663,” according to court documents.
Lantau was charged June 13 in Lewis County Superior Court with one count of first-degree defrauding a public utility, which is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
He was issued a summons notice for a June 25 preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court, which he was present for.
All parties agreed Tuesday to allow Lantau to remain out of custody on his own personal recognizance for the duration of the case.
Arraignment is scheduled for July 11.
