As used herein, the word “person” shall extend and be applied to associations, corporations, firms, partnerships and bodies politic and corporate as well as to individuals.
(Ordinance 784 adopted 1/19/78)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person, other than an officer or employee of the city acting in his official capacity, to knowingly and intentionally:
(1) 
Remove or cause to be removed any electrical meter owned by said city from any electrical meter terminal box;
(2) 
Remove or cause to be removed the cover or any other part or portion from any such meter or terminal box, or loosen or cause to be loosened any part or portion thereof;
(3) 
Insert or cause to be inserted any foreign object or inject or cause to be injected any foreign substance into any electrical meter or terminal box;
(4) 
Make or cause to be made any adjustment to the mechanism of any electrical meter; or
(5) 
Tap into or connect or cause to be tapped onto or connected any wire to the supply conductor of any such terminal box.
(6) 
Break or remove any seal of the city placed upon any electrical meter unless written permission be first obtained from the superintendent of the water, electric or inspection department of the city.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any person, other than an officer or employee of the city acting in his official capacity, to knowingly or intentionally:
(1) 
Tap onto or connect or cause to be tapped onto or connected any pipe with any water distribution main or line owned by said city;
(2) 
Disconnect or cause to be disconnected any such water meter from any such water distribution main or line owned by said city;
(3) 
Remove or cause to be removed the cover from any such water meter; or
(4) 
Break or remove any seal of the city upon any water meter.
(Ordinance 784 adopted 1/19/78)
In the event any such electrical meter is found to have been removed, or the cover or any part of portion of any such meter or terminal box is found to have been removed or any part of portion thereof is found to have been loosened, or any foreign object is found to have been inserted, or any foreign substance is found to have been injected into any such meter or terminal box, or any adjustment is found to have been made in the mechanism of any such meter, or any wire having been found to have been tapped onto or connected to the supply conductor of any such terminal box, or if any pipe is found to have been tapped onto or connected with any such water distribution main or line, or if any such water meter is found to have been disconnected from any such water distribution main or line, or if the cover of any such water meter is found to have been removed, or the finding at any time of any fact, circumstance or condition on or about any such electrical meter, terminal box, conductor, water meter or water distribution main or line tending to show or evidencing that any such act or acts have been committed or performed in violation of any portion or provision of this article, the same shall be and constitute prima facie evidence and a rebuttable evidentiary presumption of knowledge on the part of the person having subscribed for electric or water service through any such electric or water meter, or the person having the custody, control or management of the building, room, or place for which such subscription is made, of the performance or commission of any such act or acts prohibited under the terms and provisions of section 13.06.002 hereof, that such subscriber or other person performed or committed such act or acts or caused or occasioned the performance or commission of the same and shall bring such subscriber or other person prima facie within the scope, meaning and penalties hereof.
(Ordinance 784 adopted 1/19/78)
Any individual, association or corporation violating any portion or provision of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction therefor, shall be punished by the assessment of a fine as provided in section 1.01.009 of this code, and each day and every day that any such portion or provision of this article is so violated shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
(Ordinance 784 adopted 1/19/78)
In the prosecution of any offense charged under section 13.06.002(a) hereof, it shall be an absolute defense to such offense if the person charged shows to the court by legal and competent evidence that:
(1) 
Such meter was removed for the purpose of protecting life or preserving property being immediately threatened by a fire on the premises served by such meter;
(2) 
Such meter was removed for the purpose of preventing a fire to the structure served by it due to a short circuiting in the electrical conductor between the terminal box in which such meter was housed and a main line switch or fuse box; or
(3) 
Such meter was removed by a duly licensed electrician to facilitate the repair of defective electrical conductor or for checking supply voltage, and at a time when an employee of said city within said department of electric utilities was not available to remove such meter.
(Ordinance 784 adopted 1/19/78)