Police Information

Isle of Wight Conspiracy

Tue, September 11, 2001

Source: FACT

Surveillance operation results in BSkyB court case.

 

Following a long and protracted enquiry involving the obtaining of many written statements, a police surveillance and subsequent arrests, four persons have been summonsed for the Offence of Conspiracy to Defraud BSkyB and others in a potential loss of some £10 million.

Cable cubes were being manufactured in large quantities on the Isle of Wight at several electronic factories, and then shipped to addresses in the Midlands, where the final and most important part was then added before sales to the public commenced. 

A detailed police operation was carried out in the Midlands, resulting in the arrest of two persons.  The prime mover on the Isle of Wight was also arrested.  A fourth person is currently at large and an arrest warrant has been granted by the Magistrates on the Isle of Wight in respect of this person. 

The persons involved are now committed to the Crown Court at Winchester on 21^st September, 2001. 

FACT’s Investigations Manager for Signal Theft, Alan DIXON, leading this enquiry, stated that “This case, involving as it does some 38,000 cable cubes, represents a huge step forward in the ongoing fight to eradicate this type of offence.  The co-operation of outside agencies has been welcomed in this case.”

Resulting as it does, this case has similarities with a recent case at Aylesbury Crown Court when three defendants were sentenced for their part in a conspiracy.  Reference was made at the court hearing that the devices recovered from the addresses in Milton Keynes were less sophisticated than those being manufactured on the Isle of Wight.  A fourth person involved in the Milton Keynes case is identical to the fourth person currently at large for the Isle of Wight case.