Mike Y wrote:
I've heard variants of this story for years, but have yet to see one
shred of real evidence that it actually occurred.

The closest I've seen that could be regarded as 'real' evidence was a
memo that circulated around PP&L (Pennsylvania Power and Light) back
in the summer of 1972 or 73 that mentioned a farmer that ALLEGEDLY
got shocks off a coil of fence wire he was installing. (The power
right of way went over his pasture and the indication was that he was
stringing a fence under one of the then new extremely high voltage
lines. 750KV if I remember, but maybe only 500KV.)

Yes, this can easily happen. A few years ago, I was doing some
consulting work for a major power company at one of their very high
voltage substations. EVERYTHING was hot, from the fence surrounding the
property to the doorknobs on the buildings to the employee cars parked
on the property. Even though this site was usually unattended, to a man,
all the power company employees disliked pulling maintenance duty there.

Even then, I thought the right of ways were 'clear' under the big
lines, which makes even this story suspect.

What do you mean by "clear"? Yes, they clear the brush under their right
of way (which can pass over private property) , but I don't think
anyone has repealed the laws of induction and electrostatic fields. So,
your story above doesn't surprise me in the least.

P.S.

When I worked for CBS TV, they also owned a 50 kW AM station connected
to (at the time) a 12(!) tower directional array. At homes in the main
lobe of the pattern, I can relate many stories of shocks off of aluminum
siding, TV rabbit ear antennas, lights staying on, detected audio being
rectified and coming through the forced air heating ducts, etc, etc.
However, I never heard of anyone stealing power as related by the OP.