{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-165.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-165.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-165.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-165.html"}],"law_id":350378,"edition_id":2,"section_id":350378,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-165","catch_line":"Unlawful use of, or injury to, television or radio signals and equipment","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-157; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","full_text":"Any person who shall willfully or maliciously break, injure or otherwise destroy or damage any of the posts, wires, towers or other materials or fixtures employed in the construction or use of any line of a television coaxial cable, or a microwave radio system, or willfully or maliciously interfere with such structure so erected, or in any way attempt to lead from its uses or make use of the electrical signal or any portion thereof properly belonging to or in use or in readiness to be made use of for the purpose of using said electrical signal from any television coaxial cable company or microwave system or owner of such property, shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1305443,"text":"Any person who shall willfully or maliciously break, injure or otherwise destroy or damage any of the posts, wires, towers or other materials or fixtures employed in the construction or use of any line of a television coaxial cable, or a microwave radio system, or willfully or maliciously interfere with such structure so erected, or in any way attempt to lead from its uses or make use of the electrical signal or any portion thereof properly belonging to or in use or in readiness to be made use of for the purpose of using said electrical signal from any television coaxial cable company or microwave system or owner of such property, shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":50143,"edition_id":2,"name":"Offenses Relating to Railroads and Other Utilities","identifier":"8","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":10,"parent_id":50135,"metadata":{"child_laws":22,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:15","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:19","permalink":{"id":1392845,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50143,"identifier":"8","token":"18.2\/5\/8","url":"\/18.2\/5\/8\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50135,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes Against Property","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":5,"parent_id":50131,"metadata":{"child_laws":153,"child_structures":10},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:17","permalink":{"id":1392301,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50135,"identifier":"5","token":"18.2\/5","url":"\/18.2\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50131,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":52,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":960,"child_structures":94},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:15","permalink":{"id":1391141,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50131,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":350359,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-153","catch_line":"Obstructing or injuring canal, railroad, power line, etc","url":"\/18.2-153\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-153","metadata":false},{"id":350360,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-154","catch_line":"Shooting at or throwing missiles, etc., at train, car, vessel, etc.; penalty","url":"\/18.2-154\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-154","metadata":false},{"id":350361,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-155","catch_line":"Injuring, etc., signal used by railroad","url":"\/18.2-155\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-155","metadata":false},{"id":350362,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-156","catch_line":"Taking or removing waste or packing from journal boxes","url":"\/18.2-156\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-156","metadata":false},{"id":350363,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-157","catch_line":"Injury to fences or cattle stops along line of railroad","url":"\/18.2-157\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-157","metadata":false},{"id":350364,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-158","catch_line":"Driving, etc., animal on track to recover damages","url":"\/18.2-158\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-158","metadata":false},{"id":350365,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-159","catch_line":"Trespassing on railroad track","url":"\/18.2-159\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-159","metadata":false},{"id":350370,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-160","catch_line":"Trespassing on railroad trains","url":"\/18.2-160\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-160","metadata":false},{"id":350367,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-160.1","catch_line":"Boarding or riding transportation district train without lawful payment of fare; penalty","url":"\/18.2-160.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-160.1","metadata":false},{"id":350368,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-160.2","catch_line":"Trespassing on public transportation; penalty","url":"\/18.2-160.2\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-160.2","metadata":false},{"id":350369,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-160.3","catch_line":"Fare enforcement inspectors; failure to produce proof of payment of fare; penalty","url":"\/18.2-160.3\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-160.3","metadata":false},{"id":350371,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-161","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-161\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-161","metadata":false},{"id":350373,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-162","catch_line":"Damage or trespass to public services or utilities","url":"\/18.2-162\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-162","metadata":false},{"id":350372,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-162.1","catch_line":"Diverting wastewater line; diverting or wasting public water supply","url":"\/18.2-162.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-162.1","metadata":false},{"id":350374,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-163","catch_line":"Tampering with metering device; diverting service; civil liability","url":"\/18.2-163\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-163","metadata":false},{"id":350375,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-164","catch_line":"Unlawful use of, or injury to, telephone and telegraph lines; copying or obstructing messages; penalty","url":"\/18.2-164\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-164","metadata":false},{"id":350378,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-165","catch_line":"Unlawful use of, or injury to, television or radio signals and equipment","url":"\/18.2-165\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-165","metadata":false},{"id":350376,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-165.1","catch_line":"Tampering with or unlawful use of cable television service","url":"\/18.2-165.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-165.1","metadata":false},{"id":350377,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-165.2","catch_line":"Unlawful interference with emergency two-way radio communications; penalty","url":"\/18.2-165.2\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-165.2","metadata":false},{"id":350379,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-166","catch_line":"Disclosing or inducing disclosure of certain information concerning customers of telephone companies","url":"\/18.2-166\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-166","metadata":false},{"id":350381,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-167","catch_line":"Selling or transferring certain telephonic instruments","url":"\/18.2-167\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-167","metadata":false},{"id":350380,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-167.1","catch_line":"Interception or monitoring of customer telephone calls; penalty","url":"\/18.2-167.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-167.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":350375,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-164","catch_line":"Unlawful use of, or injury to, telephone and telegraph lines; copying or obstructing messages; penalty","url":"\/18.2-164\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-164","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":350376,"structure_id":50143,"section_number":"18.2-165.1","catch_line":"Tampering with or unlawful use of cable television service","url":"\/18.2-165.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-165.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-165\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1392911,"object_type":"law","relational_id":350378,"identifier":"18.2-165","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-165","url":"\/18.2-165\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-165\/","token":"18.2\/5\/8\/18.2-165","dublin_core":{"Title":"Unlawful use of, or injury to, television or radio signals and equipment","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-165","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>Any person who shall willfully or maliciously break, injure or otherwise destroy or damage any of the posts, wires, towers or other <span class=\"dictionary\">materials<\/span> or fixtures employed in the construction or use of any line of a television coaxial cable, or a microwave radio system, or willfully or maliciously interfere with such structure so erected, or in any way attempt to lead from its uses or make use of the electrical signal or any portion thereof properly belonging to or in use or in readiness to be made use of for the purpose of using said electrical signal from any television coaxial cable company or microwave system or owner of such property, shall be guilty of a Class 3 <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanor<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNLAWFUL USE OF, OR INJURY TO, TELEVISION OR RADIO SIGNALS AND EQUIPMENT (\u00a7\n18.2-165)\n\nAny person who shall willfully or maliciously break, injure or otherwise destroy\nor damage any of the posts, wires, towers or other materials or fixtures\nemployed in the construction or use of any line of a television coaxial cable,\nor a microwave radio system, or willfully or maliciously interfere with such\nstructure so erected, or in any way attempt to lead from its uses or make use of\nthe electrical signal or any portion thereof properly belonging to or in use or\nin readiness to be made use of for the purpose of using said electrical signal\nfrom any television coaxial cable company or microwave system or owner of such\nproperty, shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-157; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}