What Is Considered to be Stealing Cable?
Stealing cable TV is a federal crime. The law prohibits anyone from intercepting or receiving any cable communications unless authorized by a cable operator. If you are receiving cable television and not paying for it, you are most likely stealing cable. It is also illegal to temporarily receive cable TV for commercial purposes. For example, sometimes bars or clubs will offer pay-per-view events for a small cover charge at the door. To maximize profits, the owner may decide to bring his cable box from home and hook it up in the club. Even if the owner pays for his home cable, using his cable box for commercial profit without first consulting the cable operator is considered stealing.
