SCRAP metal thieves and vandals are now targeting electrical meters attached to the exterior of buildings. They are stealing the earth wire and whatever else they consider marketable in the business, with the most recent target being the Lombard Street, Georgetown business enterprise of Justice of the Peace and Commissioner of Oaths to Affidavits, Mr. Hermon Bholaisingh.
The businessman, who owns a large tailoring establishment and garment store in the city, pointed out to the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, the destruction caused to his meter over the weekend.
He said, last Saturday evening, he secured his premises and retired to bed; but on venturing outside Sunday morning, he discovered that the grounding for the meter had been uprooted and that the earth pole, wire and encasement had all been removed.
Bholaisingh, expressing concern, recalled that, previously, his meter was within the building but, when he renovated and extended it, Guyana Power & Light (GPL) placed it externally, literally over the pavement, even though he raised security concerns.
He said, following the theft, he was forced to refrain from using electrical sewing machines, fans, irons and percolators until he got a contractor to replace the vandalised system. 
Though overlooked by many people, the earthing mechanism is to ensure that, in case of an insulation failure on any appliance, the earth or ground wire connected to the metal body will provide a path for the current to flow.
The grounding system has three main purposes, to offer protection from over voltage, voltage stablisation, and alternative current path to facilitate the operation of devices.