LAHORE, July 16: A raiding team consisting of City District Government of Lahore (CGDL), Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited officials sealed on Tuesday 10 factories in the city for electricity and gas theft.

The team also caught eight people, including a Lesco metre inspector, allegedly involved in the utilities’ theft, according to a press release issued by the CDGL.

The teams raided Al-Shafi Steal Mill (Daroghawala) and detected power theft through illegal connections. Factory owner Muhammad Faisal and meter inspector Abdul Aziz were arrested for being involved in the crime since 2006.

In another raid at the Rasheed Steal Mills, teams arrested its owner Muhammad Rasheed and his sons Waheed Rasheed and Siddique Rasheed for both gas and power thefts. Teams also inspected Data Steal Mills in Mominpura and detected power and gas thefts there. The factory owner escaped before the raid. Teams raided and sealed seven other factories of steal and ceramic items for gas theft. Cases were registered against Muhammad Aftab, Imam Bukhsh and Muhammad Asif, the release said.

FAISALABAD: Official teams detected electricity theft at a factory, three bakeries and at least 20 houses here on Tuesday. A team raided a factory in Chak No.66, Dhandra and detected power theft there. The team accused factory owner Mian Zahid of stealing electricity for 24 powerlooms from a direct line. Two of the three meters installed at the factory were tempered, the team said.

The Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) suspended meter readers Azam Sher and Shahbaz and lineman Mohammad Rasheed after detection of power theft at the factory. Also, Fesco detected power theft at three bakeries.

Chak Jhumra sub-division No.2 detected power theft in at least 20 houses.