An electrician from Scotland was ordered to pay back his neighbors after it was revealed that he had been stealing their electricity for over three years, which cost a total of £4,000($5176.28)
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Between July 2017 and August 2020, Hugh and Tracy Torrance noticed that their electric bills were unusually high, which led them to investigate. Upon their investigation, authorities discovered that their neighbor, Leslie Pirie, had connected his home supply to the couple’s through a concealed Henley block behind a framed picture, the BBC reported. The setup allowed Pirie to enjoy electricity at the couple’s expense, leading their teenage daughter to get a job to help pay the bills.
In court, Pirie pleaded guilty to the charges, acknowledging the financial burden he had placed on the couple. He was given eight years to repay the stolen amount at £40($51.76) monthly.
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Pirie’s attorney, John Boyle, acknowledged that his client had issues with the couple for years, and the Torrances were significantly disadvantaged due to his actions. Additionally, Pirie has reportedly been having housing issues since his mother’s passing in 2010.
“The council have been trying to have him removed and I suspect this will be the final nail in the coffin. He has expressed his willingness to compensate them, but that would be in modest instalments. He is not working.”
