Cable Thieves Knocked for Loop

A local cable TV station offered viewers a free T-shirt during its telecast of last fall’s Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe boxing match.

But the only people who could see the advertisement were those using decoders--illegal devices that tap into cable television circuits without paying.

The “free” T-shirts actually cost $2,000--the settlement for violating federal law by stealing cable television.