Illegal set-top boxes seized

[Kam71]

POLICE have warned people against buying illegal digital TV set-top boxes in Wigan after more than 250 were seized.

Working with Virgin Media, police arrested a man at the Wigan Computer Fair on Wednesday, March 12, for selling set-top boxes that had beed modified to recieve subscription TV channels.

The police then searched a house in Leighton Drive, Leigh where a woman was also arrested.

254 set-top boxes were recovered, along with three computers and a substantial amount of cash and documents.

A 58-year-old woman and 56-year-old man, arrested under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988 have been bailed until August 5, 2008.

Neighbourhood Inspector Peter Clarke said: "This result has been a good example of Partnerships working together to target people illegally benefiting from the proceeds of crime.

"I would urge the public to be aware that using set-top boxes that have been illegally modified to receive digital TV subscription channels are committing a criminal offence.

"Anyone receiving channels that ought to be paid for and are making no payment to the respective media companies are at risk of being prosecuted."

Malcolm Davies, Virgin Media's head of fraud and security said: "This should act as a serious warning to others to steer clear of this type of crime. We take this matter extremely seriously and will continue to work closely with all the police forces throughout the UK to prosecute individuals connected with this type of TV fraud."

Tw*t seelin em at a computer fair...wad he expect...

[Devilfish]

It's always cable company boxes, i.e. Pace or Samsung, that the police are interested in.

Long live the dreambox!

[ice2004]

I read HERE that it was Eurovox boxes. I just dont understand why they were allowed to seize all 250+ boxes unless they wre physically plugged into 250+ TVs?

I understand if its a virgin cable box as these are all owned by the cable company but thats not the case with the Eurovox.

[Herbie]

"Anyone receiving channels that ought to be paid for and are making no payment to the respective media companies are at risk of being prosecuted."

Does anyone know of any person that has been prosecuted for using one of the many type of boxes around.

[Devilfish]

Does anyone know of any person that has been prosecuted for using one of the many type of boxes around.

Nope! They're only interested in the dealers that are supplying in bulk...not the single user. That's my opinion anyway.

[thommo]

they shouldnt take the other type boxes unless they have been modified to defraud tv companies, so an image say with cams on means they could take them, whereas boxes with images and no cams are virtually freeveiw boxes so nothing to do with them,

i suspect that he was selling them ready to go means they,ll take the lot whether modded or not as they know he would mod them as they caught him selling them that way.


my take on there thinking.