A Katherine resident was shocked to find a long blue cord snaking from his property to his neighbour's on return from a three month working-holiday to Perth, last week.
Much to his dismay, his Katherine South neighbour had been stealing electricity.
"My electricity was being milked for three months," the resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
"My guess is he was taking it because he can't get legal electricity himself, it seems as if he was having problems getting electricity from Power and Water so he jumped my fence and used mine instead."
The resident was quick to document the evidence and call the police, who turned him to Power and Water for confirmation the electricity was in fact being siphoned.
He said he wanted other residents to be wary of thrifty antics in a town already tarnished by some of the highest rates of crime in the Northern Territory.
"I just think people should be held accountable for stealing," he said.
"I didn't have issues with the neighbour before, but he was blatantly taking advantage of my being away."
He said residents should take warning and pay for their power to be temporarily cut while on holiday.
While a power bill is yet to arrive, he will be looking closely once it does to try to seek compensation for what he thinks will be a large sum of money.
Katherine Police are investigating the matter.
