Revealed: Police crackdown on ‘rogue’ Firesticks continues as full list of targeted areas revealed – after father-of-two jailed for more than three years for selling them

Police are visiting homes across the UK in a bid to crack down on those supplying ‘rogue’ Firesticks which allow sports fans to illegally stream matches to their TVs.

The devices look like their Amazon counterparts, but are hacked or jailbroken to provide free access to paid content.

In recent months, there has been a crackdown on the illegal devices, with father-of-two Jonathan Edge, 29, jailed for three years for selling them and three men arrested in July.

The latest move by the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) involves two weeks of enforcement operations in conjunction with local police forces and aims to crack down on more than 30 Firesticks distributors, A mirror reports.

The campaign is focused on cracking down on piracy operations and has seen officials visit people in person as well as issue cease and desist notices by mail, suggesting there will be prosecution if they don’t stop their activities immediately.

And now the full list of areas targeted by police has been revealed, and it covers most of the country:

People living in London, Kent, Sussex, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire, East and West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Northumbria and North Yorkshire all have a chance of being affected.

Indeed, reports suggest that a 42-year-old man has already been arrested in Newport as part of the campaign after being suspected of being involved in the illegal sale of Firesticks.

South Wales Police and FACT are believed to have seized several electronic devices linked to the suspect.

The crackdown comes after Edge was shut down for three years and four months, as confirmed by the Premier Leaguefor sale Firesticks. This also included a separate clause for accessing and viewing the content it provided.

An investigation determined that Edge had uploaded the contents of the devices and received payment in cash at his home.

He was warned several times to stop but continued to deliver the illegal material.

Julian Nutter, defending, argued that Edge was acting as a ‘Robin Hood’ figure, giving access to the games to people who would struggle to afford a Sky subscription.

“Whether or not he made a significant profit is a question that is raised.” It needs to be emphasized on his behalf that the people who would buy his products are not going to be people who are likely to have the money to buy a Sky subscription,” Mr Nutter said.

“They have limited incomes. The people he would be dealing with in the Merseyside area would hardly be the same as those in London who would have money from the City.

“He provided services to people who probably couldn’t afford it otherwise. There is an element of Robin Hood in all of this.

As a result of the recent police operation, FACT chief executive Kieran Sharp said: “Our cease and desist measures are not just warnings – they are the first step towards holding offenders accountable. Many who ignored these notices in the past now face arrest and criminal charges. We strongly advise anyone engaging in these activities to stop immediately.

“If you supply or use illegal streaming devices or illegal IPTV subscriptions, take this as a clear warning: you are breaking the law and risk serious consequences.” We will continue to work with the police to track down and end these illegal operations.

“Police across the UK are working tirelessly to tackle this crime and we are grateful for their help. For those using illegal streaming services, the message is that you’re not just committing a crime; you are putting yourself at risk.

“These services often expose users to malware, fraud and data theft, with no protection when things go wrong. The safest, smartest and only choice is to stick to legitimate providers for your entertainment.