By Diedra Rodriguez, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
DUNEDIN — Lauren Merola feels powerless.
For two months this summer, she got electric bills that were far higher than normal. The reason may not have been hot weather: Last week her neighbor, Matthew Sanders, 27, was arrested by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office and charged with petty theft. According to an arrest report, Sanders was stealing Merola's electricity.
But when Merola, 24, told Progress Energy about Sanders' arrest, the power company refused to reduce her bills, which included a July bill of $292 that was nearly double her typical summer bill.
Though Merola works full-time as a patient-care technician at Morton Plant Mease Hospital, money is tight. She's frustrated that she will be required to pay for electricity she didn't use.
"I live paycheck to paycheck," said the single mother of two daughters ages 1 and ...