Broadbandit nabbed in Wi-Fi bust

Jack the Wardriver menaces west London

By Chris Williams • Get more from this author

Posted in Law, 22nd August 2007 13:34 GMT

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A laptop user was collared by police community support officers in west London yesterday for allegedly pilfering someone else's Wi-Fi.

Local rag The Richmond and Twickenham Times reports that the 39-year-old man was spotted on Tuesday morning working outside a house in Prebend Gardens, in leafy Chiswick.

After admitting using the broadband connection he was taken to the nearest cop shop and bailed until October pending further investigation by the Met's computer crime unit [slow time of the year, eh, lads?].

Using even an unsecured Wi-Fi network is an offence under the Communications Act 2003 and could be a breach of the Computer Misuse Act in some circumstances.

Despite not having secured a conviction yet or even charged the man, DC Mark Roberts of the computer crime unit said: "This arrest should act as a warning to anyone who thinks it is acceptable to illegally use other people's broadband connections." ®

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