Massachusetts § 11 - Intentional injury to or interference with meter; penalty

§ 11. Intentional injury to or interference with meter; penalty

Section 11. Whoever unlawfully and intentionally injures, or suffers to be injured, a water meter belonging to a city, town, district, or company engaged in supplying water, or prevents such meter from duly registering the quantity of water supplied through it, or hinders or interferes with its proper action or just registration, or attaches a pipe to a main or pipe belonging to a city, town, district or water company, or otherwise uses or causes to be used the water supplied by a city, town, district or company without the consent of the same, unless it passes through a meter set by such city, town, district or company, shall be punished by a fine of triple the amount of damages sustained thereby or $1,000, whichever is greater or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Damages shall include the value of the water used and the cost of labor and equipment repair and replacement.