The sandrats, like all other rats, simply LOVE the dark.
(But only when living in civilized, non-muslim foreign countries.)
I was not aware criminals can see in the dark any better than law-abiding persons.
So the burglars flashlights should reveal their presence.
As for turning off the lights in a room with no occupants that is something many were taught as children.
And pray tell,what reasonable purpose is served by leaving business signs on when there is no one around?
I don’t advocate getting rid of street or safety lighting,but designing the lights so the illumination goes where it is need and ONLY where it is wanted is a good thing.
Further I suspect the heating and air conditioning loads are an order of magnitude greater than the lights that will be turned off so ther actual impact on the power structure should be minimal.Lighting is usually taken to be about one-tenth or less of the total load.The businesses shutting off production machinery or restaraunt cookstoves is a bigger spike in usage.