London man in wireless broadband access arrest

Police in London have arrested a man in Chiswick for illegally using someone else's wireless broadband connection.

According to the Metropolitan Police, two police community support officers (PCSOs) on patrol on 21 August, became suspicious of a 39-year-old man sitting on a wall outside a house in the area. When questioned by the PCSOs, the man admitted he was using someone else's wireless connection that was open and unsecured.

As the PCSOs do not have the powers of arrest, the man was taken to Chiswick police station where police officers arrested him. The case was handed over to the Met Police's Computer Crime Unit (CCU). The man has been bailed to return on 11 October pending further investigation.

Detective Constable Mark Roberts of the CCU said that the arrest should act as a deterrent to anyone "who thinks it is acceptable to illegally use other people's broadband connections."

"To do so potentially breaches the Computer Misuse Act and the Communications Act, so computer users need to be aware that this is unlawful and police will investigate any violation we become aware of," said Roberts.

As reported by IT PRO, two people were arrested for similar offences in Redditch, Worcestershire in July.

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