[Don Ro]

Did a little work on one meter my own self about 40 years ago.
An elderly couple in Berkeley, CA that were friends came into some bad financial times such that they were hard pressed to pay bills.
This was back in the days where the spinning disc meter retaining band was "sealed" by a lead slug and a tiny cable running through it.
I pulled lightly on the slug and the cable slipped out easily.
Unscrewed the metal band, removed the meter to expose the base.
I cut the heads cut off a couple of large nails, unscrewed all four binding posts, bent the nails in the shape of and "L", using an insulated pliers I inserted them into the binding posts under the screws, and set the house wiring & meter in parallel.
Ran a needle through the slug and the cable slipped right back through.
Their monthly bill dropped to a 1/4 of what it was.
Three years later he died of testicular cancer and she put the house up for sale.
I went over and reversed what I had done.
.
Bless me Father, for I have sinned.