[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Chris

You seem (perhaps wilfully) to be missing the point. In Post 2 you used the phrase "receiving stolen goods". That is a specific criminal offence, and one which someone buying an ex-subscriber's box off eBay is not committing, for the reasons Andy explained to you.

The purchaser is not "receiving" in the legal sense and the goods are not "stolen" in the legal sense. Providing the seller knew he was acting dishonestly what he has done is commit a fraud. Providing the OP's intention was to use the box to dishonestly avoid VM charges (such as the Tivo charge he mentioned in post 1) then he also is open to an accusation of fraud.

In both cases such charges would be brought under the Fraud Act, which was deliberately written to make such fraudulent acts the equivalent of theft in circumstances where what has happened falls outside the legal definition of theft.

I take that you also missed the post below, by the way Virgin Media class them as stolen so take up your wilful argument with them as that is their decision not mine, would you like the address to contact them.


VIRGIN MEDIA
MATRIX COURT,
SIEMENS WAY,
SWANSEA ENTERPRISE PARK,
SWANSEA
SA7 9BB

Originally Posted by Peter_

It is Virgin Media property and therefore is not available for sale to the general public, so if you purchase a device or are given one then you are receiving stolen property, how clear do you need it to be.

If someone steals a car and you buy it then you are receiving stolen property, you may not be prosecuted but the car would be seized and you would be out of pocket, the same can be said about the Virgin Media device.

But to be perfectly honest all that would happen is that when you rang up the agent would just say sorry that device does not belong on your account, if you want one I can put you through to sales, leaving the OP with a TIVO sized hole in his wallet if he paid any money for the device and rightly so in my opinion.

As the old saying goes A fool and his money are soon parted