CABLE COMPANY OFFERING AMNESTY

The cable television industry loses about $4.7 billion a year from theft of service, according to a survey by the National Cable Television Association's office of cable signal theft.

"Estimates project that 5 to 7 percent of non-cable households may be hooked up to cable and not paying," said Roger Harms, manager of TCI Cablevision, which serves Cape Girardeau and Jackson. "That's a national estimate, but it applies to most areas."

Harms and TCI Cablevision of Missouri want to see a decrease in cable piracy in the immediate area.

"We have started a theft-of-service audit and amnesty campaign in the Cape and Jackson area," Harms said Monday. "We feel there are people out receiving the service and want to give them an opportunity to hook up legally without penalty."

The first portion of the campaign called "Come On Down" started Monday and will run through July 30. "During this period anyone who is receiving the service illegally, for whatever reason, can hook up legally with no questions asked," said Harms.

Harms said the Cable Act of 1992 provides some harsh penalties for cable theft. "We will enforce these penalties if necessary," he said. "But we want to give people an honest chance to hook up."

Harms said people who hook themselves up to cable "usually ruin or degrade the picture quality for paying customers."

The second portion of the amnesty campaign will start July 21, and will include a door-to-door audit.

"This is a visual inspection of cable lines to the home," said Harms. "The visual audit will be an ongoing operation with TCI Cablevision of Missouri," he said. "Auditors will constantly go into areas and inspect the cable liens.

"We are sending letters to homes throughout the area explaining the amnesty-audit campaign," said Harms. "We want everyone to know what our auditors are doing in their area."

Harms said that after July 31, TCI plans to prosecute anyone connected to cable who is not a paying customer.

The Cable Act of 1991 makes commercial theft of cable television service a felony.

Penalties for theft of service can range from a $50,000 fine and two years imprisonment for a first offense to $100,000 and five years imprisonment for subsequent offenses.

Harms said: "The cable industry is just like any business: There is a theft problem out there and we're trying to control it. Some refer to the theft of services as video shoplifting."

Harms said this is the first time TCI Cablevision had conducted its amnesty program.

"Most people are honest about their cable TV hookups," said Harms. "We expect good response to the program."