In article , Fred writes:
| "David Lang" wrote:
|
| On a similar basis, I did hear that Ford Motor Co in Dagenham have all their
| 3 pin 230v sockets & plugs made with the earth pin horizontal and the
| live/neutral vertical. It was to stop the theft of plugs which cost Ford a
| fortune every year.
|
| Close, its just the earth pin that is different.
|
| See:
| http://www.mkelectric.co.uk/products...5&rangeid=1037
|
| Of course with the right contacts you can equip your house with the
| correct sockets ;-)

It is generally the case that the cost of the bureaucracy to stop
such petty theft, including the extra costs of special fittings,
paper etc. costs 2-3 times as much as the theft. This applies to
headed envelopes, MOD toilet paper and so on. But it is money
well spent, according to dogma.

This does not apply to systematic, organised theft, both because
the losses are much higher and because the cost of stopping it is
much lower.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.