2 men indicted
in electricity theft

Power allegedly was routed to
a business whose energy was cut

An Oahu grand jury has indicted two men on charges of stealing electricity from Hawaiian Electric Co. by allegedly diverting power to a Kalihi business whose power had been shut off.

Michael T. Dusek and Li Xue Chen were charged with theft of utility services in the first degree, a Class C felony punishable by a maximum of five years in prison.

Deputy Prosecutor Vickie Kapp told the court yesterday that power to the business had been disconnected for nonpayment and that Dusek "admitted to knowing about it." Chen allegedly admitted to connecting cables to the Hawaiian Electric power lines, she said.

Hawaiian Electric received a tip last week through the Energy Theft Hotline about potential theft at an Owen Street location and sent a crew to check it out, said HECO spokeswoman Lynne Unemori. Because of safety concerns about what was observed at the address, police were notified, she said.

HECO takes this incident seriously because of the danger to anyone who attempts to bypass the company's electrical system with makeshift arrangements, Unemori said.

Also, when someone steals electricity, the rest of the customers end up paying the cost in the long term, Unemori said. "It's stealing from the rest of the customers."

Circuit Judge Derrick Chan confirmed bail for each at $20,000. Neither could be reached for comment.

Dusek previously was arrested 16 times but has no felony convictions.

Chen was sentenced last month to five years' probation with 104 days in jail for threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend, damaging her current boyfriend's truck with a golf club and striking the boyfriend's truck with his car.

Unemori urged anyone who witnesses suspicious activity involving electric lines to call the Energy Theft Hotline at 543-7321.