Gas Networks Ireland says the tampering with a gas metre is a serious crime with potentially deadly consequences
The comments come after a prison sentence and fines were handed down to a Cork couple who pleaded guilty to the unlawful interference of a gas metre
Gas metre tampering is a criminal offence with possible fines of up to €5,000 and prison sentences of up to six months due to the dangers involved
Speaking to RedFM News Owen Wilson of Gas Networks Ireland says the risks involved in gas metre tampering are very real
"Gas is a very safe fuel when it's kept in the pipes and the equipment that it is designed to be kept in. The danger comes when gas leaks - it's uncontrolled, and that can happen when somebody tampers with a meter, that gas leak can build up, it can find an ignition source, and that's when you end up with property damage, injury or even worse"
