police will visit 1000 homes

Police to visit 1,000 homes in crackdown on illegal Premier League streams and "fire sticks"

Customers have been identified as part of a major ongoing criminal investigation and police will knock on the doors of people to warn they could also face prosecution

• 22:30, 9 Jan 2023
• Updated 09:17, 10 Jan 2023

Police will visit 1,000 homes this week as part of a massive crackdown on illegal television streaming.

They have identified customers from a huge database in a major ongoing criminal investigation and will knock on the doors of people to warn they could also face prosecution. This latest clampdown against 1,000 individuals comes after raids by West Mercia Police against a UK-based illegal streaming service offering entertainment and sports via modified boxes, so-called “ fire sticks” and subscriptions.

The new purge is against people who try to watch Premier League games, football from all over Europe and other sports and movies on the cheap.

Police have joined forces with anti-piracy investigators from FACT in “Operation Raider” and the knock on the door is likely to come as a huge shock. They will potentially be served with notices, be ordered to stop immediately and be warned of serious consequences if they carry on watching in one of the biggest clampdowns ever on illegal streaming.

Two individuals, Paul Faulkner and Stephen Millington, were sentenced to a total of 16 months for watching illegal streams in 2021. Investigators say there is a clear link between illegal streaming services and fraud, scams and organised crime.

The crackdown comes with the support of major organisations like the Premier League and broadcasters such as Sky, BT Sport and Amazon, but it has been led by the police and FACT, which was set up to stop piracy in the TV and film industry.

Are you pleased to see the police cracking down on illegal streaming? Have your say in the comments.

Detective Inspector Matt McNellis, of West Mercia’s Cyber Crime Specialist Operation, said: “We are able to deploy cutting-edge digital tactics to identify and detect people who break the law before carrying out enforcement activity in concert with our partners.

“Often, illegal streaming is used to fund Serious Organised Crime and West Mercia Cybercrime Unit is committed to interdicting this source of criminal revenue and reducing the harm organised crime groups can do to our communities.”

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson, of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said: “Accessing films, TV series and live sports events from unauthorised sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and can help fund organised criminal groups.”

FACT Chief Executive, Kieron Sharp, added: “We would like to thank the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN), the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), West Mercia Police, and other police forces across the country, for their support to help ensure that the public are made aware of the dangers of using illegal streaming services and, more importantly, that they understand that there is the risk of criminal prosecution.”

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Police target 1,000 homes for illegally watching sport streams without a subscription

• Wednesday 11 January 2023 at 1:57pm

Police will visit 1,000 homes in the UK after identifying them as accessing illegal online streams in a major step up in anti-piracy operations.

The move comes after West Mercia Police raided a UK-based illegal streaming service that offered sports games to homes without having to pay for the certified subscription.

Police are currently prosecuting the operator but are also using the opportunity to visit the houses of their customers. Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) Detective Chief Inspector, Gary Robinson, said: "Accessing films, TV series and live sports events from unauthorised sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and can help fund organised criminal groups.

"PIPCU is pleased to support this enforcement activity, and we will continue to work with our partners to take action against those who use and supply illegal streaming services." In recent years there's been a growth in the number of apps that can be downloaded onto TV boxes like Firesticks that allow people to bypass subscription services for sports and other entertainment.

They often use wifi to transmit the programmes to the TV rather than a traditional aerial.

Police have warned using illegal services can increase users' vulnerability to fraud with their websites often containing malware.

The profits they generate can also often be used to fund serious crime.

Police have been increasingly clamping down on unauthorised streams as their popularity grows.

In 2021 two people were jailed for viewing illegal streams.

In 2019 a man was jailed for seven years for providing unauthorised streams of Premier League matches.

Last June he was ordered to pay back almost £1m or face having his sentence extended by an additional six years and eight months.

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Police to visit 1,000 homes this week looking for 'dodgy boxes'

The crackdown is supported by major organisations like the Premier League and broadcasters such as Sky, BT Sport and Amazon

• 13:23, 10 JAN 2023

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Police looking for 'dodgy boxes' are set to knock on the doors of 1,000 people this as part of a crackdown on illegal streaming.

Customers have been identified as part of a major ongoing criminal investigation and police will knock on the doors of people to warn they could also face prosecution. It comes after two men were sentenced to a total of 16 months for watching illegal streams.

The force will be taking action against people who try to watch illegal streams, including Premier League games, other sports and films. Police have joined forces with anti-piracy investigators from FACT in "Operation Raider" and have the support of major broadcasters such as Sky, BT Sport and Amazon.

READ MORE: Prison staff failed to investigate dementia of inmate who died awaiting trial for sexual assault

It follows raids by West Mercia Police against illegal streaming services through modified boxes, so-called "fire sticks" and subscriptions, the Mirror reports. Those found to be using the services will potentially be served with notices, be ordered to stop immediately and be warned of serious consequences if they carry on watching in one of the biggest clampdowns ever on illegal streaming.

Speaking about the crackdown, detective inspector Matt McNellis, of West Mercia’s Cyber Crime Specialist Operation, said: "We are able to deploy cutting-edge digital tactics to identify and detect people who break the law before carrying out enforcement activity in concert with our partners.

"Often, illegal streaming is used to fund Serious Organised Crime and West Mercia Cybercrime Unit is committed to interdicting this source of criminal revenue and reducing the harm organised crime groups can do to our communities."

Detective chief inspector Gary Robinson, of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said: "Accessing films, TV series and live sports events from unauthorised sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and can help fund organised criminal groups."

FACT chief executive, Kieron Sharp, added: "We would like to thank the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN), the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), West Mercia Police, and other police forces across the country, for their support to help ensure that the public are made aware of the dangers of using illegal streaming services and, more importantly, that they understand that there is the risk of criminal prosecution."

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Police to visit 1,000 homes this week to crackdown on illegal Premier League streamers

Police will be knocking on 1,000 doors as they look to put and end to illegal streaming.

Dominic Smithers

Dodgy boxes and chipped set ups are nothing new, and we all know someone who flat out refuses to pay to watch any kind of live entertainment or new film.

But while most tend to think of it as a victimless crime and not to be taken seriously, they are very wrong.

In 2021, Paul Faulkner was sentenced to 16 months in prison for watching and providing unauthorised sporting streams, while Stephen Millington was imprisoned for 30 months after sharing his Netflix login to thousands of people.

And now, police are set to visit 1,000 homes this week as part of a huge crackdown on illegal streaming.

You can almost hear an audible gulp from people up and down the country waiting for a knock at their door, can't you?

Using a huge database, police have managed to narrow their investigations down to a specific group of people who have been involved in the criminal activity .

This particular operation is targeted at those who have been watching Premier League matches and European football, as well as other sports and movies illegally.

Those who receive a visit for a bobby could face prosecution.

It comes off the back of calls from major broadcasters like Sky and Amazon to put and end to the plague on their industry.

And the operation has been led by the police and FACT, an organisation that specialises in piracy and illegal streaming.

Detective Inspector Matt McNellis, of West Mercia’s Cyber Crime Specialist Operation, said it's only a matter of time before gangs are caught and their operations stopped.

He said: “We are able to deploy cutting-edge digital tactics to identify and detect people who break the law before carrying out enforcement activity in concert with our partners.

“Often, illegal streaming is used to fund Serious Organised Crime and West Mercia Cybercrime Unit is committed to interdicting this source of criminal revenue and reducing the harm organised crime groups can do to our communities.”

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson, of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said those who use illegal content also put themselves at risk.

"Accessing films, TV series and live sports events from unauthorised sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and can help fund organised criminal groups," he said.

FACT Chief Executive, Kieron Sharp, added: “We would like to thank the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN), the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), West Mercia Police, and other police forces across the country, for their support to help ensure that the public are made aware of the dangers of using illegal streaming services and, more importantly, that they understand that there is the risk of criminal prosecution."

Topics:  Crime , UK News , Technology , Sport , Football

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, the answer is surprisingly little. But c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

@ SmithersDom

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Anti-piracy police will target 1,000 homes where football fans are watching illegal Premier League streams and then prosecute if they don't stop tuning in

• Police are set to visit 1,000 homes to talk about their use of illegal streams
• They believe that fans are using modified fire sticks to watch games illegally 
• Police will tell individuals that they could be prosecuted if they keep watching 
• A UK-based illegal streaming service was recently raided by West Mercia police

By Sam Brookes For Mailonline

Published: 07:16 EDT, 10 January 2023 | Updated: 11:03 EDT, 10 January 2023

View comments

Police will visit 1,000 homes in the coming week to warn fans that they could face prosecution if they continue to watch Premier League matches on illegal streams.

The authorities are working with anti-piracy investigators from Federation Copyright Theft (FACT) in 'Operation Raider' to track individuals who have been watching games in England and across Europe illegally via modified boxes or fire sticks .

They are taking matters into their own hands and will knock on doors to warn people about the potential consequences. 

Police are set to visit the homes of people they believe have been watching games illegally

Not all games are televised in the UK and some fans seek alternative, illegal sources 

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The targeted individuals could be served with notices and will be told to stop using the streams immediately.

The streams have also been used to watch other sports and movies, which the police are clamping down on.

They believe illegal streaming sites can be linked with organised crime gangs, with advertising on the web generating funds. 'Operation Raider' will move into action, working with FACT in the next few days, report the Mirror.  

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson, of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said: 'Accessing films, TV series and live sports events from unauthorised sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and can help fund organised criminal groups.'

The authorities think people have been watching top-flight matches on illegal streams

West Mercia police recently raided a UK-based illegal streaming service, and they are keen to continue their work to eradicate the issue, having put together a detailed database to identify those using the streams.

'We are able to deploy cutting-edge digital tactics to identify and detect people who break the law before carrying out enforcement activity in concert with our partners,' Detective Inspector Matt McNellis, of West Mercia’s Cyber Crime Specialist Operation explained.

'Often, illegal streaming is used to fund Serious Organised Crime and West Mercia Cybercrime Unit is committed to interdicting this source of criminal revenue and reducing the harm organised crime groups can do to our communities.'

BT and Sky Sports are the major broadcasters of football in the United Kingdom

Two years ago, two men, Paul Faulkner and Stephen Millington, were given 16-month prison sentences for watching illegal streams. 

And the renewed police interest in clamping down on illegal streaming will be welcome news to major broadcasters, BT Sport and Sky Sports, who televise the majority of the football shown in the UK. 

Sky Sports show 128 games a year and their cheapest subscription package is £41-a-month, while BT Sport have 52 games charged at £15-a-month.

Share or comment on this article: Police 'to visit 1,000 homes to try to crack down on games being watched on illegal streams'

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Police visit 1,000 homes of people watching online streams in piracy crackdown

Operation signals switch in focus to those not just sharing pirated streams but also watching them, article bookmarked.

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Police in the UK claim to have identified more than 1,000 people accessing illegal online streams following a raid on a major piracy operation.

Officers with West Mercia Police plan to visit homes in order to serve notices to the accused individuals, ordering them to cease illegal streaming activity. It forms part of a broader crackdown on piracy in partnership with the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT).

“This operation has involved months of collaborative hard work and the warning notices issued are an excellent example of adopting a multi-agency approach between FACT and the police,” said Jason Grove, who works for the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN).

FACT chief executive Kieron Sharp added that the operation aimed to “ensure that the public are made aware of the dangers of using illegal streaming services and, more importantly, that they understand that there is the risk of criminal prosecution”.

It is illegal to watch pirated streams in the UK, though law enforcement have historically focussed only on those operating the websites and services rather than those watching them.

Criminal prosecution is pending against the operator of the streaming service, which was supplying streams for entertainment and sports via modified set-top boxes, firesticks and online subscriptions.

People accused of viewing the streams were warned in the notice served by police that they risk fines or even imprisonment if found guilty of breaking the law.

In 2021, two individuals in the UK received a prison sentence for watching and providing unauthorised streams.

“We are able to deploy cutting-edge digital tactics to identify and detect people who break the law before carrying out enforcement activity in concert with our partners,” said Detective Inspector Matt McNellis, who works on specialist operations for West Mercia Police.

“Often illegal streaming is used to fund serious organised crime and West Mercia Cybercrime Unit is committed to interdicting this source of criminal revenue and reducing the harm organised crime groups can do to our communities.”

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Police to knock on doors of 1,000 people illegally streaming TV this week

Those targeted have been identified from a huge database of people streaming sport and films without paying for them

• 07:22, 10 JAN 2023

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Police will visit 1,000 homes this week as part of a crackdown on illegal TV streaming. Customers to be targeted have been identified from a huge database in a major ongoing criminal investigation, reports The Mirror .

Officers will knock on doors this week and homeowners could face prosecution. The crackdown comes after raids against a UK-based illegal streaming service offering entertainment and sports via modified boxes. The new purge is against people who try to watch Premier League games, football from all over Europe and other sports and movies on the cheap.

Police have joined forces with anti-piracy investigators from FACT in “Operation Raider” and the knock on the door is likely to come as a huge shock. They will potentially be served with notices, be ordered to stop immediately and be warned of serious consequences.

Paul Faulkner and Stephen Millington, were sentenced to a total of 16 months for watching illegal streams in 2021. Investigators say there is a clear link between illegal streaming services and fraud, scams and organised crime. The crackdown comes with the support of major organisations like the Premier League and broadcasters such as Sky, BT Sport and Amazon, but it has been led by the police and FACT, which was set up to stop piracy in the TV and film industry.

Detective Inspector Matt McNellis said: “We are able to deploy cutting-edge digital tactics to identify and detect people who break the law before carrying out enforcement activity in concert with our partners.

“Often, illegal streaming is used to fund Serious Organised Crime and West Mercia Cybercrime Unit is committed to interdicting this source of criminal revenue and reducing the harm organised crime groups can do to our communities.”

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson, of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said: “Accessing films, TV series and live sports events from unauthorised sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and can help fund organised criminal groups.”

FACT Chief Executive, Kieron Sharp, added: “We would like to thank the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN), the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), West Mercia Police, and other police forces across the country, for their support to help ensure that the public are made aware of the dangers of using illegal streaming services and, more importantly, that they understand that there is the risk of criminal prosecution.”

• Most Recent

Police to visit 1,000 homes in illegal streaming crackdown

They will be targeting those who access films, TV and sport on the cheap

• 19:11, 10 JAN 2023

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Police will be visiting 1,000 homes this week to crack down on people who stream films and TV programmes illegally. Officers say they have identified consumers via a massive database as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

They will be warning people that they could be prosecuted. Around 1,000 people were identified following raids by West Mercia Police, against an illegal streaming service based in the UK, the reports The Mirror.

It offered people entertainment and sport via modified boxes, 'fire sticks' and subscriptions. The clampdown particularly targets those watching Premier League games, plus football from Europe and other films and sports cheaply.

READ: Rogues' gallery: Meet the money laundering truckers jailed for 42 years

Police have joined forces with anti-piracy investigators from FACT in “Operation Raider” and the knock on the door is likely to come as a huge shock. They will potentially be served with notices, be ordered to stop immediately and be warned of serious consequences if they carry on watching in one of the biggest clampdowns ever on illegal streaming.

Two individuals, Paul Faulkner and Stephen Millington, were sentenced to a total of 16 months for watching illegal streams in 2021. Investigators say there is a clear link between illegal streaming services and fraud, scams and organised crime.

The crackdown comes with the support of major organisations like the Premier League and broadcasters such as Sky, BT Sport and Amazon, but it has been led by the police and FACT, which was set up to stop piracy in the TV and film industry.

Detective Inspector Matt McNellis, of West Mercia’s Cyber Crime Specialist Operation, said: “We are able to deploy cutting-edge digital tactics to identify and detect people who break the law before carrying out enforcement activity in concert with our partners.

“Often, illegal streaming is used to fund Serious Organised Crime and West Mercia Cybercrime Unit is committed to interdicting this source of criminal revenue and reducing the harm organised crime groups can do to our communities.”

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson, of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said: “Accessing films, TV series and live sports events from unauthorised sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and can help fund organised criminal groups.”

FACT Chief Executive, Kieron Sharp, added: “We would like to thank the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN), the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), West Mercia Police, and other police forces across the country, for their support to help ensure that the public are made aware of the dangers of using illegal streaming services and, more importantly, that they understand that there is the risk of criminal prosecution.”

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Expect a visit from police this week if you watch footy like a knock-off Nigel

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Police will visit 1,000 homes this week in a bid to crack down on football fans watching matches on illegal streams.

Anti-piracy investigators from Federation Copyright Theft (FACT) in Operation Raider will try and track individuals who have been watching games in England and across Europe illegally via modified boxes or fire sticks.

They are taking matters into their own hands and will knock on doors to warn people about the potential consequences.

The streams have also been used to watch other sports and movies, which the police are clamping down on.

They believe illegal streaming sites can be linked with organised crime gangs, with advertising on the web generating funds. ‘Operation Raider’ will move into action, working with FACT in the next few days, report the Mirror.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson, of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said: ‘Accessing films, TV series and live sports events from unauthorised sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and can help fund organised criminal groups.’

Two years ago, two men, Paul Faulkner and Stephen Millington, were given 16-month prison sentences for watching illegal streams.

And the renewed police interest in clamping down on illegal streaming will be welcome news to major broadcasters, BT Sport and Sky Sports, who televise the majority of the football shown in the UK.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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