Scottish electrician's three-year electricity theft uncovered

In the Scottish town of Tayport, a daring electricity theft has occurred. Fifty-one-year-old electrician Leslie Pirie illegally diverted electricity from his neighbours for over three years, resulting in losses of approximately $6,800 CAD. The issue came to light when Hugh and Tracy Torrance noticed abnormally high electricity bills.

British media said Pirie admitted to stealing electricity between July 2017 and August 2020. The court in Dundee, however, was rather lenient towards the perpetrator. He was ordered to repay the stolen amount in monthly instalments of $68 CAD, giving him over eight years to fully repay.

But how was the crime discovered? Investigators called to examine the unusually high bills quickly found that the Torrance family was paying not only for their usage but also for the electricity of the downstairs neighbour. It turned out that the electrician, who lived a floor below, had devised a sophisticated system using a special device hidden behind a picture. This device connected the network to the meter, allowing him to divert some of the neighbours' electricity to his own flat.

The case has serious consequences for both the perpetrator and the victims. The Torrance family had to ask their teenage daughter to get a job to help pay the inflated bills. Speaking after the trial, Tracy Torrance expressed her disappointment with the neighbour's behaviour. "We thought he was a decent person, a quiet, nice guy. I feel really disappointed," she said.

The perpetrator of the incident may have further problems. It is known that the local authorities are attempting to evict him, as he remained the sole occupant of the three-bedroom house after his mother died in 2010. Boyle stated that "this case will likely be the final nail in the coffin" regarding the eviction.