Power and Water employee Cedric Warren Suradi pleads guilty to tampering with meter for 20 years
A highly-respected Darwin man was secretly tampering with his power meter for decades, all while working for the Territory’s utility company. Find out what happened in court.
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A Darwin Power and Water worker illegally siphoned off electricity to his own home, defrauding his employer for more than 20 years.
On Wednesday Cedric Warren Suradi pleaded guilty to a single count of interfering with an electrical meter at his home, after stealing charges were dropped.
Judge Allan Woodcock heard that during Suradi’s two-decade long career with the Territory utilities company, the Darwin dad had secretly tampered with the monitors at his own home to cut down on his bills.
His deception was only discovered when a PWC contractor went to upgrade Suradi’s device to a smart meter on January 25 2023.
The worker opened up the box to find several magnets positioned to interfere with the rotation of the mechanical device, causing an “inaccurate” reading.
An internal company investigation revealed the ruse had been in place since 2002.
Prosecutor Ruby Preece said it was a “betrayal of trust”, with the worker using his own expertise to defraud his employer.
After siphoning off electricity for 20 years, the 53-year-old offered to repay $4000 to the utilities company.
Defence lawyer Michael Drury said Suradi was suffering from “extreme financial hardship” when he hatched the plot to cut down on his power bills.
Mr Drury said as a union leader, Suradi, clashed often with the bosses at the company in the past 12 years.
“There had been ongoing tensions with my client and Power and Water — at higher levels, at senior management and executive levels,” he said.
“That gives some context to the extreme pressure he was under.”
Mr Drury said Suradi had since been fired from Power and Water, and was now working at Centurion, a heavy haulage and freight services company in Darwin.
Mr Drury said the two-decade scheme to steal power was “out of character” for the well-respected community member.
Mr Woodcock said his references described the Darwin father as a “selfless”, “decent and good man” with a “lifetime of contributions” to organisations like the Brothers Rugby League club.
“We’re asking to give him a chance to go on with his life, and continue to contribute and not be hampered by a conviction,” he said.
Mr Drury said the only priors on Suradi’s record were from a “massive night” at his “bucks party” in 2002.
Mr Woodcock convicted Suradi for tampering with an electrical meter device, and ordered him to repay Power and Water $4000.
The 53-year-old was then placed on a 12-month good behaviour order, and hit with a $150 victims’ levy.
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Originally published as Power and Water employee Cedric Warren Suradi pleads guilty to tampering with meter for 20 years
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