A new form of theft

crafty little blighters!!!!

I don't know what has happened. The police have said that it's widespread. The thieves use the one registered to the house owner who's had it stolen for having the central heating full blast possibly to grow cannabis and substitute the house one for a low reading when the man comes round to read the meter.

so do they replace it with another meter? otherwise you would soon notice no electric or gas

Hum, this is not a great crime is it, as money making enterprises go. In fact I am not sure it would work, as the meter reading would have to roughly tie in with the previous meter at the property. If there was a sudden strange jump in the reading then they would notice .
If you know how to re-set gas meters then disconnect your own, re-set it and reconnect it.
It is the property not the meter that gets charged.
More likely it has scrap value.

what next !

stolen from INSIDE a house

There was me thinking I'm ok as mine is in a cupboard inside the house....apparenly not!

Best to let your supplier know then if you notice it gone!!!

I've not heard of this but just think how dangerous the practice is if the person doing the refitting is not competent every chance of an explosion occurring and people possibly killed.