It shall be unlawful for any person within this State, wilfully and wantonly and without the consent of the owner, (a) to take down, remove, injure, obstruct, displace or destroy any line erected or constructed for the transmission of electrical current or any poles, towers, wires, conduits, cables, insulators or support upon which wires or cables may be suspended or any part of any such line or appurtenances or apparatus connected therewith, (b) to sever any wire or cable thereof or in any manner interrupt the transmission of electrical current over and along any such line, (c) to take down, remove, injure or destroy any house, shop, building or other structure or machinery connected with or necessary to the use of any line erected or constructed for the transmission of electrical current or (d) to wantonly or wilfully cause injury to any of the property mentioned in this section by means of fire. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not longer than one year, or both fined and imprisoned, in the discretion of the court. But nothing herein contained shall operate to prevent any person from removing any such wires or apparatus affixed to his private property without his consent.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 24-453; 1952 Code Section 24-453; 1942 Code Section 1202; 1932 Code Section 1202; Cr. C. '22 Section 91; Cr. C. '12 Section 252; 1902 (23) 1102; 1904 (24) 443; 1908 (25) 1078.