Yes. The federal law that makes it illegal to steal cable also makes it illegal to aid others in stealing cable, which includes creating and distributing any device intended for illicit cable reception.
What Are the Possible Penalties for Stealing Cable?
The following are the criminal penalties:
- Stealing cable TV for personal amusement can result in a $1,000 fine, a six-month prison sentence, or both.
- For a first offense, stealing cable TV for commercial gain or financial gain can result in a punishment of up to $50,000 or a maximum of 2 years in jail, or both; any future violations can result in a fine of up to $100,000 and a maximum of 5 years in prison.
A cable operator may opt to sue an individual who steals cable in addition to criminal consequences. Individuals may face the following penalties:
- An injunction prohibiting the usage of illicit cable in the future.
- Money losses sustained by the cable company, as well as any gains gained by the cable thief
- Damages ranging from $250 to $10,000 are available under the law.
- Costs, including attorneys’ fees, must be recouped in full.
- If a person steals cable for financial gain, the cable company can sue for up to $50,000 in damages.
- Even if the person was unaware that they were stealing cable, the cable company might sue for at least $100 in damages.
- State and local laws may impose penalties as well.
Is it possible for a cable company to identify cable theft?
Although I am not an installation technician, I work for a cable business.
There are two types of cable boxes: analog and digital. Analog boxes tune RF cable frequencies (physical traps connected to the cable block or allow premiums) and digital boxes tune RF cable frequencies but the channels you get are controlled by the cable company’s billing system through the digital box itself, which can be uni-directional or bi-directional. The cable company has no means of knowing whether you’re stealing their service with Analog unless something external alerts them (signal leak or someone tells them). It’s the same with Digital, but if you’re getting premium channels you shouldn’t be, the company can execute a worldwide refresh from the billing system to update the Digital boxes so that the channels viewed from the box match the services defined in the billing system. A significant portion of it is linked to the cable company’s billing system. Even Analog boxes can be “struck” by the biling system, but Digital boxes have more control.
People steal cable wire for a variety of reasons.
So, year after year, why do people steal copper cables, pipes, and wires? The basic reasons are straightforward: copper is abundant and lucrative. In the world of metal theft, the old adage that “everything that isn’t bolted down will be stolen” is irrelevant.
Is it possible for my neighbor to take my cable?
It is against the law to steal cable from a neighbor. Sharing your service with a neighbor is a violation of your cable TV or Internet service agreement, splitting your signal within your own home is not.
Is it possible to steal cable Internet?
IP theft, or the theft of another person’s paid Internet access by tapping into their home network or cable modem, is how many of the tech-savvy thieves obtain their free ride. When someone uses your Internet connection for illicit purposes, you may unwittingly become the subject of a police investigation.
The issue is becoming even more serious than home modems. One of the top three worst cyber-security risks confronting the Internet, according to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, is “IP hijacking” of massive amounts of Web traffic. Botnets, a computer network designed to conduct cyber-attacks, and domain hacking, which allows criminals to reroute traffic to bogus websites, are the other two.
He believes the hazards exist because there are no safeguards in place to protect against them.
During a recent lecture in Washington, Genachowski stated, “The protocol that enables seamlessconnection does not contain safeguards to protect against cyber-attacks.”
What is the procedure for reporting cable theft?
Massive disruptions in electricity delivery as well as infrastructure damage in Tshwane and the rest of the country were caused by cable theft.
A collaborative effort between members of the community and the metro to combat cable theft, according to Vilakazi, would make it harder for criminals to continue stealing cables.
Karen Meyer, MMC for community safety and emergency services, claimed in December that part of the problem was dishonest second-hand metal traders who bought copper from cable thieves.
Eight security guards were held hostage at gunpoint late last month, while crooks cut and stole cables from a Tshwane metro small sub-station, also in Pretoria’s northwestern outskirts.
The incident, according to the health department, impacted a laundromat that served 10 hospitals and 69 clinics in the Tshwane district.
Laundry services were transferred from Tshwane to Johannesburg laundries and the Dunswart laundry facilities in Ekurhuleni as a result of the power outage, according to Gauteng health department spokesperson Kwara Kekana.
Residents can call the cable theft hotlines at 012 358 7095 or 080 011 2722 to report cable theft.
They can also contact the police by calling Crime Stoppers at 08600 10111 or going to their local police station.
Is it illegal to use cable splitters?
As previously stated, cable companies are unable to charge more for basic service to several televisions. That’s one of the reasons they’re attempting to force digital cable on us; each set has its own decoder box, which we rent by the month. Unless you want to simultaneously watch the same station on all of your televisions….
If you’re paying for and receiving both cable TV and cable internet, there needs to be some form of splitter somewhere. Install an amplifier/splitter between the existing splitter and the television, then run all of your television equipment from there. It’s not unlawful, and it has no effect on your internet speed. This also limits snoops’ ability to figure out how many TVs are connected, because they can only assess the combined input impedance of the amplifier and cable modem.
I would be hesitant to use a service provider who restricted the number of machines that could be linked. My personal internet service provider (Viawest) accepts it but does not support it, which is great with me. In the case of cable, providers are lying, cheating, and stealing in the first place: If every user on a certain section of the grid is up at the same time, none of the consumers will receive the claimed bandwidth. Because this is essentially a bandwidth pooling system, limiting the number of computers per connection aids their cause. I pay for dedicated bandwidth with routing or bridging mode DSL, and I expect to get it.
Is it possible to trace copper wire?
Since the beginning of the year, thefts in James City County have ranged from $500 to $8,000.
There’s a new difficulty for cops. It’s nearly impossible to recover copper once it’s been stolen.
“They’re snatching it and transporting it to a melting facility. It’s not like taking a television with a serial number or a car with a VIN number that can be easily traced “According to Rubino.
This is happening around the country, and states are responding. In 23 states, 49 measures have been introduced since January. Many of them are concerned with tracking the sale of used copper.
One law in Ohio would make it illegal for scrap merchants to purchase copper plumbing pipe from anybody other than a plumber. Many of the measures would require scrap dealers to photograph and document copper products. Others would require dealers to wait a certain amount of time before selling copper.
Virginia has enacted legislation requiring scrap dealers to maintain pictures of metal they purchase for at least a month.
Even Congress has gotten involved. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, has proposed new legislation that would make stealing copper a federal crime in some situations and tighten controls on buying and selling it.
Why is copper theft such a big issue?
Copper is utilized in the electric industry to deliver energy to your home and company, as well as as a grounding system to keep the public and utility personnel safe. Copper theft compromises the electrical system, resulting in injuries and death.
Copper is taken for a variety of reasons.
Copper is widely found in and near homes, businesses, and condominiums.
Copper is frequently found alongside hot water services, on the exterior walls of older buildings, and as part of the hot, cold, and gas pipework within undercroft carparks.
During the installation of hot water services, a great number of copper parts, fittings, and valves are required (including a relief valve, isolation valve and pressure reducing valve). Before any plastic or pvc pipes can be connected to the hot water supply, at least one meter of copper pipework must be installed.
Why do thieves’ target copper?
Thieves target exposed copper because of its high scrap value and ease of transporting it to a variety of scrap yards for cash.
Copper stolen as scrap metal is valuable because it may be used to produce fiber optics and high-value plumbing and electrical parts.
As the value of copper climbs, so does the frequency of copper thefts. At the moment, we’re seeing a lot of this type of crime.
How to prevent stolen copper at your property:
To dissuade thieves, there are a number of tactics that can be used:
- Keep spaces where copper is visible brightly illuminated.
- To prevent easy access, secure areas with additional fencing or gates.
- If feasible, cover copper with a colorbond metal cover.
- Copper can be painted to diminish its value and act as a deterrent to some thieves.
- Empty properties are easy targets, so keep an eye out for them.
What to do if your copper is stolen?
If the copper on your property is taken, we can respond quickly to isolate the piping, assess the damage, and provide a repair price.
Thieves can rip off pipes imbedded in walls or disassemble the hot water supply, so the damage often goes beyond merely replacing the infrastructure.
Typically, your insurance will cover stolen copper and the related property damage.
Is it possible to divide my cable for TV and Internet?
Is it possible to split a cable line between TV and Internet? If your room only has one coaxial cable plug, you can use it for both internet and TV reception. To accomplish this, you’ll need a coaxial cable splitter as well as two more coaxial wires.