What Is Considered TV Cable Theft?

Stealing cable for personal use can result in criminal charges.

About 10 percent of U.S. homes with cable television acquire their service illegally, according to the St. Petersburg Times. If you receive cable T.V. through means other than the direct provider, you could face criminal charges (Ref. 1).

Identification

You must have a specific authorization from the cable T.V. provider to receive your service, according to the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications & Energy Cable Television Division. This means calling up the company, ordering a service or package and getting it installed (Ref. 2).

Types

The most common method of cable T.V. theft is splitting a line with a neighbor or purchasing a device called a descrambler to view encrypted channels, according to the Massachusetts government. Cable theft also occurs if you receive cable for free due to an error in the grid and an operator is not informed (Ref. 2).

Penalties

If the cable company catches you stealing cable for personal use, they can pursue criminal charges resulting in up to 6 months in jail and fines up to $1,000, according to Legal Match. Commercial use of stolen cable may result in up to a $100,000 fine and 5 years in prison (Ref. 3).

References

• St. Petersburg Times: Prowling for cable TV pirates
• Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications & Energy Cable Television Division: Cable Television Theft
• Legal Match: Cable Piracy Lawyers