152Offences relating to gas supply

152 Offences relating to gas supply (1) A person must not— (a) lay or cause to be laid a pipe that connects with a pipe belonging to a gas distribution company without its consent; or (b) wilfully or by culpable negligence injure or allow to be injured any gas fitting belonging to a gas distribution company; or (c) interfere in any way with a meter or prevent a meter from properly registering the quantity of gas supplied; or (d) fraudulently take gas of a gas company; or (e) if the gas supplied by a gas retailer is not ascertained by a meter— (i) use a burner other than a burner provided or approved by a gas retailer; or (ii) keep the gas burning for a longer time than that for which the person contracts; or (f) otherwise fraudulently burn or use gas supplied to the person by a gas company. (2) In addition to any penalty under subsection (1), a gas company may recover the amount of any damages sustained by the gas company as a result of the wrongful act. (3) Despite any contract previously existing, the gas company may also discontinue the supply of gas to any person who has committed an offence under subsection (1). (4) When a meter is under the custody or control of a customer, the existence of artificial means for— (a) interfering with the meter; or (b) preventing a meter from properly registering the quantity of gas supplied; or (c) taking gas of a gas company— is evidence and, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, proof, that the interference, prevention or taking has been fraudulently and wilfully caused by the customer using the meter. Division 6—General