Is this theft?

Question

i live in a quadplex and one of my neighbors hooked evrybody in the building up to free cable. if i watch the cable and i stealing it even though i didnt do the initial hook up?

Answer 1

Definition of Cable Theft

Cable theft is the illegal interception of cable programming services without the express authorization of, or payment to, a cable company.

Active Theft occurs when someone knowingly and intentionally makes an illegal physical connection to the cable system in their area for the purpose of receiving cable service in their home or business.

Premium Theft or "Pay Theft" occurs when someone knowingly and intentionally attaches equipment (i.e., black boxes, cheater box, cube, descramblers, decoders, etc.) for the unauthorized receipt of premium or pay cable services such as HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz, or Pay Per View movies and special events (wrestling/boxing).

Passive Theft means having active cable service in your residence without notifying the cable operator. (Example: You move into a new apartment that has active service but you do not notify the cable operator.)

Answer 2

YES!
You know that this person hooked up the cable, and he nor anyone else is paying for it. That make you an accessories.(after the fact).
I know some girls , that were caught , they used the defense that someone else hooked it up before they moved into the apartment.
They had too pay a fine and all past months fees. They were lucky they were believed , because the fine could have been in access of $5000.00 court costs. and sometime even jail time or probation time.The laws are getting tougher on this kind of theft. Don't risk it!

Answer 3

Plain and simple Yes, actually lived in an apartment complex that some guy rigged up to get free cable and when that building was found out everyone in the building was getting free cable except one........ 6 apartments had to pay for back bills.. thankfully we lived in the next building over

Answer 4

It's hard to call it theft b/c you didn't ask for it to be connected and it just happened to you. You do however, know of someone else's theft and aren't reporting it. It's not THEFT on your part, but you know a crime is being commited and it would be the right thing to do to call the cable co. (or if you wan to fix this a bit more low-key tell the guy a white lie and tell him that you got a call from the cable co. asking if you have cable and that you want out of this iffy situation before you all get in trouble).

Answer 5

Yes it's stealing either way you look at it because you knew about
it and you didn't turn it in to the cable place, in their eyes, you're just as guilty as the person that hooked it up. Eventually they'll find out about it.

Answer 6

Most cable contracts limit it to the residence. Obviously your neighbors are in seperate residences. You have a responsibility to notify the cable company. They call it Passive theft.

Answer 7

You know what they say, There is no excuse for being ignorant of the law. Obviously, you are not ignorant! If the cable is running into your house, I would imagine that you will be in trouble also.

Answer 8

Yes. This needs to be reported. This is why other people have to pay so much for their cable service.

Answer 9

I believe that if you are the one residing in the house than you are responsible.My ex husband actually went to jail for the same thing but electricity.It was on when we moved in so he did not say anything. Turned out the meter was not supposed to be on the house. he did like a week for that .

Answer 10

Probably...I'm a pretty honest guy and if the cable was hooked up, I would probably watch it. At my last apartment, it would have been real easy for me to have hooked it up myself...but I didn't. Had it been hooked-up, I probably would have let it go. If you get caught, just plead ignorance.