Stealing Cable TV

**Adult Content** It is not only illegal to steal cable services, it is also illegal to assist others to steal cable services. In fact, federal law provides for criminal penalties and civil remedies against people who willfully, assist others to steal cable services. Such assistance can take the form of distributing "pirate" cable television descrambling equipment and assisting others to make unauthorized connections to cable systems. There are two types of cable theft, passive and active theft. Passive theft occurs when someone moves into a new residence or business facility, notices that the premises receives cable services without an account, but nevertheless does not take any steps to become a subscriber or have the service disconnected. Active theft not only involves the theft of cable television services, it also includes broadband internet abuse.