Dunedin Man Steals Electricity From Neighbor, Deputies Say

A Dunedin man is accused of stealing electricity from his neighbor for a month, ABC Action News reports.

According to the news station, Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies arrested Matthew D. Sanders, 27, last week and charged him with petty theft after they say he siphoned electricity off his neighbor using an orange electrical cord.

His neighbor, Lauren Merola, told the news station the power was flickering inside her home Thursday, and when she went outside a neighbor had found an extension cord going from Merola's outdoor outlet to the apartment next to hers.

According to ABC:

Sanders never had his electric turned on when he moved into the triplex on Curlew Avenue in Dunedin and was using Merola's power since June 18, deputies said.

Merola's most recent electric bill, typically $160, was $292, she told Action News.

Sanders was being held on $150 bond.