I did not know this until about a month ago. I live in a small apartment complex in Dallas. One month I noticed that my electrical jumped from $90 to $170. I spoke with the manager. He is a freind. He told me that this illegal, named Luis, an electrician, was pulling electrical from my apartment. I asked him just how he was doing it. He took me over to the guages and showed me that Luis had no electrical. The guage was no moving at all, and yet, Luis still had electrical . He then took me to talk to Luis. I told Luis that I did not like his doing this. He just looked at me.
Then. the manager called TXU and told them what was going on. They came over, and completely removed the face on his guage.
Still he had electrical.
Then I got my next electrical bill. It dropped to -$49.50.
I realized that Luis was in controll of the electrical on this building, and had changed my meter, so I would not be mad at him.
A freind of mine from Mexico told me, "In Mexico everyone does it."
2007-07-19 09:16:00 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
Summermoond 2004: I know that he is illegal because I work for the owner of this building. He does too. He does not speak English, only Spanish. If you called TXU... great. I did too. They came out here twice. They will not go into the attic of this building, which is where he has made his connection.
2007-07-19 09:42:30 · update #1
Sara: In this case, yes I mean Mexicans, since Luis is from Monterrey, Mexico.
2007-07-19 09:47:17 · update #2
Shay T: They may not say "illegal aliens," but they call "Gringos and Tejanos" and who knows what else.
I know these people. I have worked with them for the last ten years. It has been an interesting cultural study.
2007-07-19 10:03:17 · update #3
Actually it is true that it is extremely common practice in Mexico. This is why I advocated gov't ESL programs that also teach US social norms.
2007-07-19 09:20:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 4⤋
Boy, they hammered you. Why didn't you just say that the illegal that works at the company you work for had hooked up his electricity to your meter? That in itself is a reprehensible act, but you can't say that they do it unless you personally know of more who did that same thing. They shot down your credibility because you made it seem as if every illegal in this country did it. While I don't doubt that this is a somewhat common occurrence, only tell what you know to be the truth. I know of a black man who pulled this on my sister in Fla. but he was legal. So it's not only an illegal person who does these things. He stole the electricity from you not the power company except when he rigged yours to read less than it should. Did you report this to the power company and pay what you truly owed? I'm anti illegals but you presented this story in a sensational way.
2007-07-19 14:44:02 · answer #2 · answered by Ms.L.A. 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No not everyone in Mexico does this. In the neighborhood my in laws live in everyone has their own line for power. Anyone with the knowledge can do this, not just an illegal. I know people who work for the cable company that steal cable, they are white. I have seen electricians do the same with their electricity. Not all illegals are electricians and would have the knowledge to do what this one has done.
2007-07-19 10:09:03 · answer #3 · answered by Lil's Mommy 5 · 1⤊ 5⤋
I'm not surprised to hear about this at all. I worked for PG&E in California years ago. The meter readers would come into to the office with so many stories of people that they caught pinning their meter to prevent it from reading. It was only the techs that worked in the bad neighborhoods that saw this. I worked in an office in east LA.
2007-07-19 09:50:08 · answer #4 · answered by onacrusade 2 · 2⤊ 4⤋
i wondered what that extension cord went to,now i know.
added. first off it is stealing from an individual,not the electric company(not that it makes it OK). second let me say the scenario is impossible to hide, short of breaking in someones apartment,twice(which could be reported as a crime that would result in jail time). third,why is the manager renting to an illegal? let's stick to facts in the illegal problem,there are enough of them to change things. it will take us working together to change it.
2007-07-19 09:20:09 · answer #5 · answered by here to help 7 · 5⤊ 6⤋
Wow! I didn't know that. That is intresting seeing that i live in an apartment. One thing though. Saying illegal aliens is very rude because they don't make jokes about us. I have plenty of mexican friends and make sure if you say "illegal aliens" again you don't say it in front of them; they will take offense and probably steal you electricity again.
2007-07-19 09:51:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 6⤋
First you say illegals are stealing electricity. Then you mention a man named Luis who was stealing your electricity. That's only 1 person. And you didn't explicitly state that we was illegal, so you're full of it.
2007-07-19 09:31:18 · answer #7 · answered by Pfo 7 · 4⤊ 7⤋
how do you know he is illegal? because someone told you? If he was doing this then why didn't TXU press charges? Did you know that if you are lying you can be subjecting yourself to litigation by this person expecially if you are accusing him of being illegal or committing a crime he didn't do?
I called them on your behalf and they said it sounds foolish on your part, that they press charges against anyone legal or illegal who steals electricity and that plenty of citizens steal power.
Add: if you know he is illegal and you work for the company how is it that you know his status? Did you hire him? If so why did you hire someone not legally here and know it? If so why are you working for a company that does this? There are lots of legal immigrants and citizens do this so don't try to lay it out as a crime that immigrants commit and if you allowed him to lower your bill you are an accessory to the crime.
2007-07-19 09:24:06 · answer #8 · answered by summermoondancer2004 3 · 4⤊ 9⤋
happens everyday...you'd be suprised. I live in San Diego and this is not rare.
2007-07-19 09:53:54 · answer #9 · answered by divers_godeeper 5 · 4⤊ 3⤋
It sounds like he was stealing from YOU, not the power company.
2007-07-19 09:21:45 · answer #10 · answered by advicemom 2 · 8⤊ 4⤋