Polling data throughout this year so far indicates that the cost of necessary goods and services — like electric bills — are a huge pain point for many Americans, and "how are people affording life right now" is a constant refrain on TikTok.

Monthly costs for utilities like electricity are soaring — but that's no excuse for the inconsiderate, unneighborly behavior spotted by a user on Reddit's r/Electricians.

"Client caught neighbor stealing power," the original poster announced in the thread's title.

Their post was image-based, and it depicted two outdoor electrical panels stacked vertically. Breakers were visible in the panel boxes, as was a bright yellow cord running through both.

The image could confuse a layman, but that subreddit is for tradespeople, all of whom instantly recognized what was happening. Luckily, one commenter explained exactly what was going on in the picture.

"Looks like the thief tapped off of the lower feed lines and ran them to the load side of the upper two left circuit breakers, and flipped them both off. This fed the electrical current to the load of the upper breakers without any circuit breaker protection," they explained, adding that they suspected the padlock was used by the power pickpocket to hide their theft.

"Electrical is actually pretty easy when you don't follow code or have any standards whatsoever," a user joked.

Solar panels are a sure way to curb electricity costs for the long term and to hedge against supply shocks. They can be tricky — but not impossible — to access for apartment dwellers, and the original poster said the box was in a multiunit building.

"It's a four unit building. A quadplex? Lol," the OP explained in a comment. Theft of electricity is not unheard of, and difficult neighbors are a frequent cause of headaches in homes and apartments alike.

Obstinate neighbors are a common roadblock for people trying to adapt their lives and homes to a changing climate. Whether it's installing solar panels, rewilding a yard, or simply adding native plants to a landscape, neighbors can make it harder to go green — and pity residents dealing with a homeowners association.

How often do you worry about your energy bills? Every day 😥 A few times a week 😟 A few times a month 🙁 Only when I pay it 😬 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Users on the thread continued swapping stories of uncovering similarly rigged boxes, but they found humor in the situation.

"Finally! A true free energy device!" one quipped.

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