Once, when I didn't get around to paying my bill, my power was
disconnected. I rushed out and paid the bill, but then I wondered
when they would actually reconnect me. So there must have been a seal
that I cut; and I pulled out the meter, removed the plastic prong
covers, and put back the meter. And then made dinner. The guy came
an hour later and I told him someone else had come already. Later I
realized -- at least I think so -- that he was the only one doing my
area, and he knew no one else had come. But he hadn't said anything.
I suppose to himself he just smiled, or cursed me for being a liar.

I am a friend who is "in the business" (electrician.)

He told me he NEVER coordinates with the power company ahead of time.

When he needs to, he pulls the meter and does the job. When it's safe to
put the meter back he calls the power company with a song and dance about it
being an "emergency." They put the meter back with the seal, etc.

On "This Old House" an electrician taped the power line BEFORE the meter
box and used it to power up a outlet box to supply essential loads. The
guy actually does the hot wiring while standing on a fiberglass ladder. He
touched only one wire at a time but his body was 120 volts! (I guess it's
a local thing.)

My friend often replaces panels with CB boxes without pulling the meter.
He NEVER (at least deliberately) touches a hot wire. If he needs, say, an
insulated allen wrench, he will wrap the part he will hold with LOTS of
electrical tape. Once he has disconnected a service wire he wraps the
exposed end with lots and lots of tape.

When it's time to reconnect he cuts off the tape with an knive which which
has been "helped" with more tape.

Of course he probably knew I'd been disconnected for failure to pay,
and he had no reason to think I'd been messing with the breaker box,
but would he have cared if he'd thought that?

Beyond a point, they have nothing to gain by making a fuss. They can't
claim "theft of services" because you are paying. It's at most a technical
violation of their service teriffs. Since they are in the business of
selling electricity, it's silly to disconnect a paying customer just for
spite.