Cable Thieves

Howard County cable pirates have one last chance to come clean.Storer/Howard Cable Television is offering a monthlong, no-questions-asked amnesty period until Jan. 31, to allow cable thieves to turn themselves in -- or risk prosecution."

As the six-week amnesty period neared an end yesterday afternoon, more than 5,600 cable thieves in Baltimore County had turned themselves in to Comcast Cablevision.David Nevins, a Comcast spokesman, said Comcast's switchboards were jammed this week with calls from cable pirates who waited until the last minute to confess.Comcast operators fielded calls at the rate of 100 an hour yesterday, he said, making it by far one of the busiest days of the amnesty program."Apparently, a lot of people were waiting until the last minute to hold on to their free cable for as long as possible," Mr. Nevins said.

Neighbors turned in neighbors, kids squealed on parents, and a former FBI agent offered to hand over hundreds of cable thieves he knew about.By yesterday afternoon, more than 1,200 people had jammed the switchboards of Comcast Cablevision in response to the company's day-old amnesty campaign, which gives cable thieves in Baltimore County until May 15 to confess.After the amnesty period expires, Comcast plans to do an electronic house-by-house audit and to take legal action against the thousands of people and businesses that have been receiving its services for free.

Neighbors turned in neighbors, kids squealed on parents, and a former FBI agent offered to hand over hundreds of cable thieves he knew about.By yesterday afternoon, more than 1,200 people had jammed the switchboards of Comcast Cablevision in response to the company's day-old amnesty campaign, which gives cable thieves in Baltimore County until May 15 to confess.After the amnesty period expires, Comcast plans to do an electronic house-by-house audit and to take legal action against the thousands of people and businesses that have been receiving its services for free.

Comcast Cablevision, weary of viewers stealing its signals, i using a new state law to crack down on suspected thieves.Comcast, with 240,000 customers in Baltimore, Harford and Howard counties, has turned 75 people over to prosecutors since an amnesty program ended in May. Everyone whose case has come to trial has either pleaded guilty, been convicted or accepted probation before judgment, according to a Comcast spokesman. One defendant was sentenced to a six-month jail term.The new law, which took effect Oct. 1, makes cable fraud easier to prove while making penalties tougher.

If you're stealing cable service, Comcast Cablevision has a deal for you.The company is kicking off an amnesty period today for people who pilfer its programming. Under the terms of the amnesty, any resident of Comcast's service area -- Baltimore, Howard and Harford counties -- who is pirating cable can call the company and either begin paying for service or have it disconnected, no questions asked.People who take advantage of the amnesty won't be prosecuted under Maryland's cable theft law, which levies prison terms of up to five years and fines of as much as $5,000.

Comcast Cablevision, weary of viewers stealing its signals, is using a new state law to crack down on suspected thieves.Comcast, with 240,000 customers in Baltimore, Harford and Howard counties, has turned 75 people over to prosecutors since an amnesty program ended in May. Everyone whose case has come to trial has either pleaded guilty, been convicted or accepted probation before judgment, according to a Comcast spokesman. One defendant was sentenced to a six-month jail term.The new law, which took effect Oct. 1, makes cable fraud easier to prove while making penalties tougher.

Television is full of cop shows. And coming to a Comcast Cablevision-equipped set near you is "Good Cop, Bad Cop."Beginning today, Comcast will offer a monthlong amnesty to what it says are 10,000 to 15,000 local households that are stealing cable service. After that, they say, they're coming to get you -- and have new technology to help them do it."After this is over, we're launching an all-out blitz on this," said Jaye Gamble, Comcast's area vice president for Maryland.Comcast says cable theft is a recurring problem, but one that is much smaller than before its last amnesty program in 1992.

Anne Arundel cable fugitives now have a chance to "fess up." Starting yesterday, Comcast Cable has begun letting county cable thieves turn themselves in -- no questions asked -- without threat of legal prosecution. The company, along with the state's attorney's office, has vowed to hunt down illegal cable users who refuse the offer. The 15-day amnesty period, which runs through July 30, is the first Comcast has instituted in the county since it recently took over Jones Communications, and the first in the area for years.

Super Bowl Sunday this weekend could be followed by Blue Monday if Howard County residents who are illegally receiving cable television service don't 'fess up.Storer/Howard Cable Television is allowing those who have their homes hooked up for cable programming without paying for the service to turn themselves in to the company by Sunday with no questions asked and no risk of prosecution.But once the monthlong amnesty ends, Storer/Howard Cable TV pledges to prosecute those who are detected receiving cable illegally.