There are many reasons why a tenant might illegally abstract electricity or gas. Given that energy theft has significantly increased during a cost-of-living crisis, it’s reasonable to assume that dwindling household finances are a key factor.
In some cases, criminals will target certain areas and offer to bypass meters or tap into energy lines for a fee. In others, householders will attempt to do it themselves, often following instructions found on the internet.
There’s also another reason a tenant might steal electricity – drugs. To grow cannabis indoors, you need large amounts of energy to power lighting, irrigation, and ventilation systems. As the average cannabis farm consumes 12,000 kWh of electricity monthly (four times the average household uses in a year), criminals generally steal electricity to avoid large bills and suspiciously large meter readings.