Legislation expected to go before D.C. City Council early next year would make cable theft a crime in the District of Columbia. According to the National Cable Television Association, the District is the only place in the United States with no local laws against cable theft. Cable theft is technically covered by general theft laws in the District, but there is no provision specifically targeting theft of cable services.

Cable theft in the District is covered by federal law, but many in the industry say those statutes are inadequate.

"Federal law is not designed to go after end users," said Staci Pittman, assistant director of the office of cable signal theft for the NCTA. "It’s designed to go after black box dealers. A state statute would give the cable company something to use against end users, especially repeat offenders."

Brad Anderson, general manager of District Cablevision, estimates as many as 12,000 households in the District are stealing cable. But according to the U.S. Attorney’s office, only "a smattering" of people have been prosecuted for it in the last 10 years.

"There is a need for much stronger legislation," said Walter Adams, counsel for the D.C. Office of Cable Television. "What we currently have is inadequate and vague. It’s tough to get any enforcement."

A draft of proposed legislation submitted by lawyers for TCI, the parent company of District Cablevision, is currently being reviewed by city attorneys. The goal, said TCI counsel Earl Jones, is to make it easier to seek civil and criminal penalties against people caught stealing cable.

Anderson said his company sees an important difference between someone moving into an apartment where the previous tenant forgot to cut off cable service and a person who climbs a utility pole to rig an illegal hookup or sells black market cable boxes on the side.

As soon as the law is passed, District Cablevision plans to launch an aggressive campaign to cut down on illegal users and seek restitution for back services, said marketing director Martin Wills.

"People who would not commit any other crime in their lives feel it’s OK to steal cable," Anderson said. "But they are taking our product without paying for it. It’s not any less of a crime than shoplifting."

Copyright 1998, The Common Denominator