The accused pleaded guilty to theft of electricity under $5,000, admitting to stealing $4,999 worth of hydro by occasionally disconnecting the meter at his business.
The Crown sought to prove the theft exceeded $5,000 by relying on circumstantial evidence of average historical use compared to actual billings.
The court found that the variables involved in calculating the exact amount stolen were too numerous to establish proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court accepted the guilty plea for theft under $5,000.
