Story Author: Patrick Frasier
Publish Date: Not Available
Source Publication: WSVN-FOX7 Miami

People have often wondered if their home is burglarized and the cable boxes are stolen, who is responsible. The following is a story that aired on WSVN-TV that may help you better understand your rights with utility companies.

(WSVN/FOX)Kay Russo was upset when her house was burglarized. Outraged when the Cable Company told her she was going to have to pay over $400 dollars for the cable box the burglar's stole from her. She called Howard for help. Here's Patrick Fraser.

The cat's name is dinner...Din din for short. Unusual, but appropriate when you hear what he eats....
Kay Russo: "He loves eating strings. I got up the other morning and I had a shirt laying on the dresser, went to put it on ... both of the straps were chewed off."
Since he is de-clawed...Kay doesn't let the cat go outside … Which is why she knew there was something wrong when she came home a few weeks ago.
Kay: "When I went to open the door…something hit my foot and when I looked down it was my cat. Well, I know I didn't leave my cat out."

And when she walked in the door it was clear what had happened. Kay: "They had thrown all my bills…papers everywhere. Furniture was thrown, furniture was moved."
The robbers hit every room of the house .. opened every drawer...Apparently targeting electronic equipment. Kay: "The moved all this out and took our DVD player and our Comcast cable box out of there…they had the cabinets all opened and all the electronics gone."

Kay called the police and filed a report. Then she called the cable company to report the stolen box--- and got some surprising news... Kay: "Well you have to pay $460 dollars for the cable box." Kay had no idea the box cost that much…and no idea that it was her responsibility to replace it if it was stolen. Even worse, she was told she still has to pay the monthly rental for the stolen box. Kay: "Now they're continuing to charge me for it monthly, even though I don't have it and they are holding me responsible for it and I don't feel that's fair."

Kay does have homeowners insurance ...But she doesn't want to file a claim. Kay: "first, our premium will go up really high and there's a possibility of cancellation." What she wants is to find out if she is responsible for a stolen cable box. To find out she called Help Me Howard.

7 News Legal Expert Howard Finkelstein: "The cable box does not belong to Kay it belongs to the cable company. So Kay has an obligation to protect it. However in this case, because it was stolen due to no fault on her part she does not have to pay." When Help Me Howard contacted Comcast cable…they told us, they review situations like Kay's on a case by case basis. Since she had this police report which clearly lists the cable box as one of the items that was stolen, they agreed she does not have to pay to replace the box.
Great news for Kay… And to make sure you don't have to pay if your box is stolen. Howard says read the contract carefully.

Howard: "If the contract does not clearly and specifically say that you are responsible for the box even if its stolen, then the consumer is only responsible if their negligence allowed the theft to occur."

Kay is just relieved she doesn't have to fork over all that money. Din din apparently wasn't bothered by the robbery. Because his strange appetite wasn't affected. Lucky that cat didn't take a bite out of the cable box. Now Howard said read your cable contract… If you are like me, you're sitting there thinking ... I don't know where it is...So call the cable company and get a copy.

Also Howard says start a folder with-information from the cable company, the phone company, and the gas/electric company; places like that so if something happens you know your rights.