0:00:02 > 0:00:05Insurance fraud in the UK has hit epidemic levels.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08It's costing us over £1.3 billion every year.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11That's almost £3.6 million every day.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17Deliberate crashes, bogus personal injuries, even phantom pets.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23The fraudsters are risking more and more to make a quick killing,
0:00:23 > 0:00:26and every year it's adding over £50 to your insurance bill.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31But insurers are fighting back, exposing 14 fake claims every hour.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Armed with covert surveillance systems...
0:00:35 > 0:00:37That's the subject out the vehicle.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40..sophisticated data analysis techniques...
0:00:43 > 0:00:45..and a number of highly skilled police units...
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Police! Don't move, stay where you are!
0:00:47 > 0:00:49..they're catching the criminals red-handed.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Just don't lie to us.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54All of those conmen, scammers and cheats on the fiddle
0:00:54 > 0:00:58are now caught in the act and claimed and shamed.
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Coming up -
0:01:06 > 0:01:10one fraudster jumps out of the frying pan and into the fire...
0:01:10 > 0:01:14It's quite unusual to see a fire spread so quickly.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19Strongly indicated that a manual accelerant was used.
0:01:19 > 0:01:20..a potential fraudster
0:01:20 > 0:01:22tries to take an insurance company for a ride...
0:01:23 > 0:01:25The claimant presented his claim
0:01:25 > 0:01:28about two and a half years after the accident.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30He still hadn't been to see his GP.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34..and a fake crash with an online grocery store leaves a bad taste
0:01:34 > 0:01:35in the fraudsters' mouths.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39There's nothing more frustrating for a fraudster than to have an accident
0:01:39 > 0:01:40with a vehicle that isn't insured.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51The fire service attends just over 210,000 fires a year.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54When a home or business goes up in flames,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57they can see people's possessions and livelihoods
0:01:57 > 0:01:58disappear in a matter of minutes.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Mihir Pandya from Allianz dealt with a claim
0:02:04 > 0:02:07that saw a family business go up in smoke.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10On the day in question, Mr Hindry told us that
0:02:10 > 0:02:13he had closed shop at the end of the normal trading day,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15set the alarm system
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and travelled to another location about eight miles away.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24About 30 minutes later, the first member of the public
0:02:24 > 0:02:28saw the fire breaching the roof and called the fire service.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Within minutes, the first fire engine arrived
0:02:32 > 0:02:35and firefighters witnessed the extent of the fire.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42The officer in charge could see the magnitude of the fire had prevented
0:02:42 > 0:02:44any firefighters entering the building
0:02:44 > 0:02:45because there was a danger to life.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51And at the height of the fire,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54there was as many as 75 firefighters at the scene.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59The fire raged throughout the night,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02into the next morning and the only things left standing
0:03:02 > 0:03:04were the external masonry walls.
0:03:06 > 0:03:07In a matter of hours,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10several generations of hard work had burnt to the ground.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Allianz wasted no time and immediately began investigating.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19On arriving at the scene the following morning,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22our investigators could see Mr Hindry. He was visibly upset.
0:03:23 > 0:03:29He expressed his concern for his employees, their futures
0:03:29 > 0:03:32and he vowed to get the business back on its feet
0:03:32 > 0:03:33and he was going to rebuild it.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37One of the first things the investigators did was check the alarm lock.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40What they found fuelled their suspicions.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Mr Hindry had told us at the end of the working day
0:03:42 > 0:03:46he'd set the alarm system - about 5:30 in the evening.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50On investigating, our forensic investigators told us
0:03:50 > 0:03:53that, whilst the alarm system was set,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56somebody had entered the building, switched the alarm system off,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58remained in the building for about ten minutes
0:03:58 > 0:04:01and then set the system again.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Now, this would have been only ten minutes before
0:04:04 > 0:04:09that first member of public saw the fire reaching through the roof.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12For Allianz, there's usually no smoke without fire.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16The first indication that there was something amiss
0:04:16 > 0:04:18was the nature of the fire.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23In our experience, it's quite unusual to see a fire spread so quickly
0:04:23 > 0:04:28and its magnitude strongly indicated that a manual accelerant
0:04:28 > 0:04:32was set by that unknown person in that short timeframe.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Leading us to believe that this was arson.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Convinced foul play was at hand, Allianz turned up the heat.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45We instructed police, who undertook their own investigations,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49and one of the first things they did was to check mobile phone records
0:04:49 > 0:04:53of Mr Hindry. And what they discovered
0:04:53 > 0:04:56was, whilst Mr Hindry told us he was in a location eight miles away,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58this wasn't actually the case.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00And he was a lot nearer to the property.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05With so many inconsistencies in Hindry's version of events,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Allianz continued to investigate.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13We would check financial records, the financial status
0:05:13 > 0:05:16and the financial trading history of the company.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20It became quickly evident that, two years prior to the fire,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22the business was in financial difficulty
0:05:22 > 0:05:24and was, technically, insolvent.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30With all evidence gathered, there was a lot at stake for Allianz.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35Had Mr Hindry been successful, he would have received
0:05:35 > 0:05:39in the region of 2.1 million for the loss of the business and the stock.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45In June 2014, the case went to trial at Norwich Crown Court.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Whilst we know that the business was in financial difficulty
0:05:49 > 0:05:53for two years prior to the fire,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57during the trial it emerged that Mr Hindry had also quite a significant
0:05:57 > 0:06:02gambling addiction and that he would often gamble up to £10,000 a day.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08A gambling habit like that works out at over £250,000 a month.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Hindry had got his fingers burnt in more ways than one
0:06:11 > 0:06:14and his losing streak was about to hit rock bottom.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19His lies led to his downfall.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Hindry was found guilty of fraud and arson
0:06:21 > 0:06:23and received a six-year prison sentence.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29The actions of Mr Hindry had not only impacted on his family -
0:06:29 > 0:06:32who were his business partners, so, between them
0:06:32 > 0:06:34they'd lost a £2.1 million business -
0:06:34 > 0:06:38but also his long-serving employees, who clearly held
0:06:38 > 0:06:42Mr Hindry in very high esteem. And I'm sure would have been very,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44very disappointed at what had happened.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49To see a family business turned to ash is heart-wrenching.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51In the summer of 2011,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54one business became the centrepiece of the riots in Croydon.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Burnt to the ground overnight, furniture store
0:06:58 > 0:07:01House of Reeves has been in the area for almost 150 years.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Maurice Reeves has worked in the family firm for most of his life.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15I heard it on the television. And I said, "No, that can't be our shop."
0:07:15 > 0:07:18But, of course, it was. I saw the name Reeves
0:07:18 > 0:07:20and I said, "This is like a nightmare."
0:07:20 > 0:07:23And that night, well, I didn't sleep.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24And, then, the following morning
0:07:24 > 0:07:28when I came down here, the devastation was horrendous.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Our main building was completely destroyed.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37The iconic pictures everybody saw on the television haunts me still.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40They would never be erased from my memory.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Oh, the cost to us, to me, personally, was extreme
0:07:44 > 0:07:46because I had worked all my life there.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50And, as you can understand, emotionally,
0:07:50 > 0:07:55it was so upsetting that it was very difficult to comprehend.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57The company has always been on this site,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01and the road is named Reeves's Corner, after the family business.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05It survived all these wars, the Depression, Second World War,
0:08:05 > 0:08:09the First World War, everything, and yet, in 2011,
0:08:09 > 0:08:14we were destroyed by one person who set light to it.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17He is still serving a long prison sentence.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21But this doesn't make up for the family's loss.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26The stress it gives you after you've had a devastation fire like ours
0:08:26 > 0:08:31can never compensated by being paid money by an insurance company.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Because they can't, it's impossible to evaluate.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38What Hindry did is unthinkable for Maurice.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42For somebody to build a business
0:08:42 > 0:08:44and then destroy it is really...
0:08:46 > 0:08:48..incomprehensive for me.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52It would be too devastating for my sons,
0:08:52 > 0:08:56and people who work here have a pride and achievement.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00We're all fighters, the Reeves family. That's why we're still here.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10Still to come - one claimant gets caught with his trousers down.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Actually, it's quite amusing because this gentleman had a lucky habit.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21And an insurer calls time on a potential fraudster's claim.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Didn't discover the item was missing until at least two hours,
0:09:24 > 0:09:28and for something as big, chunky, and worth nearly £25,000,
0:09:28 > 0:09:29we found this slightly unusual.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Around 200,000 car accidents occur each year in the UK.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Whiplash injuries can be extremely severe,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45with aches and pains lasting for months.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Unsurprisingly, insurance companies see more than their fair share
0:09:48 > 0:09:52of these types of claims. But some are more unusual than others.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Sarah Hill from BLM ended up dealing with one such case.
0:09:57 > 0:09:58The accident was quite straightforward -
0:09:58 > 0:10:01it was a rear-end road traffic accident.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04The claimant was claiming that he'd suffered neck and back injuries -
0:10:04 > 0:10:09so, whiplash injury - and the claim was worth in the region of £15,000.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Whiplash claims are usually brought to insurers' attention
0:10:13 > 0:10:15not long after the accident.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18But this claimant was working to a completely different timescale.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Following a road traffic accident, it is usual to see a report
0:10:22 > 0:10:27of an injury within two weeks to a month after the accident.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30The claimant presented his claim about two and a half years
0:10:30 > 0:10:33after the accident. He still hadn't been to see his GP.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38That's right, not two and a half weeks,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41not two and a half months, but two and a half years.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Now, why on earth would someone be looking for compensation
0:10:43 > 0:10:45so long after the accident?
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Well, investigations revealed this potential fraudster had been
0:10:48 > 0:10:51approached by a claims management company.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56This was an encouraged attempt to make a claim.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00The claimant was advised that he could make an injury claim
0:11:00 > 0:11:02up to three years after the accident and, therefore,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04decided to make that claim.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Of course, you can't submit a claim without evidence.
0:11:07 > 0:11:08But, luckily for this chap,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11the claims management company had that covered.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14The claimant's legal adviser sent him for a medical report.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18The allegation was it was so severely impacting upon his hobbies,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21his daily activities, and, actually, he even went as far as saying
0:11:21 > 0:11:24it had impacted upon his work life
0:11:24 > 0:11:26because he'd had to speak to his line manager about rearranging
0:11:26 > 0:11:30some of his work schedule to accommodate his symptoms.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34So, we have a claim for injuries, complete with medical report
0:11:34 > 0:11:37and what sounded like a drastically affected lifestyle.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40But BLM's client wasn't about to get the chequebook out just yet,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42and decided to do a bit of detective work -
0:11:42 > 0:11:44and it's just as well they did.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48It came as quite a surprise
0:11:48 > 0:11:52when our intelligence team undertook some social media searches.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56The claimant, just about one month after the accident, had been
0:11:56 > 0:12:00involved in a 100km trek, so clearly not displaying any symptoms
0:12:00 > 0:12:03of injury at that point in time.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06And there was plenty more evidence where that came from.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09So, what's he been up to?
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Six miles in a decent time, phew, you must be in "wheely" good shape.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Three peaks in terrible weather.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Be careful up there, you might come a cropper.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Three hours on your bike, well, that'll certainly build you up.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26About a year after the accident,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29he was mountain biking without any symptoms yet again.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Long ride after work - cramming it in, hey?
0:12:33 > 0:12:37Two days out on your bike, you must be fit as a fiddle.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Oh, and you're joining the gym. So, let's get this straight.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44You can't walk, but you can manage a six-mile trek.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48You're having difficulty cycling,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51but you can cope with a pedal-powered day out.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53And you're having problems with work,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56but you're OK to jump on your bike after.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58OK.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00And he's only just mentioning this now,
0:13:00 > 0:13:01two and half years after the event.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Is it me, or is he pushing it a little?
0:13:04 > 0:13:06After looking at this for the insurer,
0:13:06 > 0:13:08it was a case of "on your bike!"
0:13:10 > 0:13:13We then presented the evidence that we'd achieved
0:13:13 > 0:13:16in the course of investigations to his legal representatives
0:13:16 > 0:13:17and, unsurprisingly,
0:13:17 > 0:13:22the claimant decided not to progress his claim and discontinued his claim.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25The claimant obviously thought he'd be peddling his way to the bank.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30The message of this case, really, is that if you are contacted
0:13:30 > 0:13:34following a road traffic accident, it is quite right that you are advised
0:13:34 > 0:13:37that if you are injured you're entitled to make a claim.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38But you must ask yourself
0:13:38 > 0:13:42whether you were actually genuinely injured as a result of the accident.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Crash for cash is becoming a major policing issue.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Cars working together to cause deliberate accidents
0:13:56 > 0:14:01are milking the insurance industry of just over £390 million a year.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Crash for cash starts when one or two cars
0:14:07 > 0:14:10move in front of the victim.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12The first car brakes,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15giving the second car a reason to come to an abrupt halt...
0:14:17 > 0:14:20..causing the victim's car to go into the back of them.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23The driver of the car that's been hit can then cash in
0:14:23 > 0:14:26on a hefty insurance pay-out.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Staged accidents like this have become a serious social problem.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33But it isn't just the insurance companies who are the victims.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37DCI Angie Rogers heads up the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40one of many forces tackling this dangerous crime.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45If people are out there committing insurance fraud on our roads
0:14:45 > 0:14:48and deliberately crashing into people,
0:14:48 > 0:14:51there's a risk of serious harm, injury or even death.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57With crash for cash on the rise, insurers and the police will
0:14:57 > 0:15:00use everything in their power to bring these criminals to justice.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06But it isn't just car drivers who are victims of this dangerous crime.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Ian Emery is a senior associate at law firm Hill Dickinson.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17He represents a number of commercial clients who are sitting ducks
0:15:17 > 0:15:18when it comes to crash for cash.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21There are a number of reasons why fraudsters
0:15:21 > 0:15:22target commercial vehicles.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25One is that they are larger than a car, for example,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27so there's more chance of a collision actually taking place.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31Another reason is that commercial vehicles will always be insured.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34There's nothing more frustrating for a fraudster than to have
0:15:34 > 0:15:36an accident with a vehicle that isn't insured.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Ah, yes, don't you just hate it when that happens?
0:15:38 > 0:15:42You go to all the trouble of staging a crash for cash...
0:15:42 > 0:15:44and then there's no insurance to claim on.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49This makes business vehicles, such as the white van,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52a particular favourite for fake accidents.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55With general insurance claims that we look at, the Ford Transit
0:15:55 > 0:15:57features in approximately 7% of accidents,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59but when we look at induced accidents,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02the same vehicle features on approximately 15%, which would
0:16:02 > 0:16:06suggest that it is being targeted in that type of accident.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09But commercial drivers are fighting back.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11When it comes to any kind of collision,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15a reliable eyewitness is crucial, so companies like Ocado have armed
0:16:15 > 0:16:18their vehicles with something that never takes its eyes off the road.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Having cameras installed in commercial vehicles can really
0:16:23 > 0:16:25assist our clients, because the evidence that they
0:16:25 > 0:16:29get from the camera such as this, that films an accident taking place,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32where someone has stopped deliberately, can really help defend
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- the claim and can be the silver bullet.- It certainly can,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39as a trio of crash-for-cash criminals found out when
0:16:39 > 0:16:42they tried to use an online grocery business as their meal ticket.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47This claim involved an Ocado delivery van on the outskirts of London,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50who was driving in heavy traffic and, unavoidably, hit the car in front.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54As a result of this accident, there was some minor damage to the front
0:16:54 > 0:16:56of the Ocado delivery van and some minor damage to the car,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59to the rear bumper of the car, as well.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03With over 23,000 traffic collisions on London's roads every year,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06it sounded pretty plausible.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09But when Ocado's insurers later received three whiplash claims
0:17:09 > 0:17:13of around £20,000 from the occupants of the car,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16it was time to check out the footage from the grocery-van cam
0:17:16 > 0:17:18to see exactly what had happened.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23OK, what we can see in this footage is the delivery van
0:17:23 > 0:17:24is proceeding in heavy traffic in London,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28the car in front slows down and speeds up on a number of occasions,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30before finally slamming on next to the bus stop.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36Could this just have been a doddery driver? Not according to Ian.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39When we review footage and we see that a car speeds up
0:17:39 > 0:17:42and slows down on a number of occasions before finally
0:17:42 > 0:17:46stopping suddenly, it suggests that the driver is maybe trying
0:17:46 > 0:17:48to commit the act of deliberately slamming on, but maybe
0:17:48 > 0:17:51isn't sure how hard to break, and maybe has to test it
0:17:51 > 0:17:54a couple of times before finally going through with the manoeuvre.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59The on-board camera not only captures the incident,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01but it's specifically designed to record
0:18:01 > 0:18:03when the van breaks sharply, or there's an impact.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09This claim was starting to smell decidedly off,
0:18:09 > 0:18:11so the occupants of the car were asked exactly why
0:18:11 > 0:18:15they'd been so heavy-handed - or, rather, footed - with the brakes.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Each of the claimants came back with a description that there
0:18:19 > 0:18:22was a lady at the bus stop on the left-hand side who was
0:18:22 > 0:18:24either stepping off or about to step off the kerb, which is
0:18:24 > 0:18:26the reason why they'd stopped suddenly.
0:18:26 > 0:18:27When we reviewed the footage,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30we could see that there was no lady at the bus stop
0:18:30 > 0:18:33and that's when our concerns were really confirmed that this was
0:18:33 > 0:18:36an attempt to pursue fraudulent claims against our clients.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40OK, now, I know the footage is a little grainy, but, nope,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43I can't see a woman or anyone standing by the bus stop.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47It was quite clear to see there was no old lady,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50there were no other people, there were no children on bikes,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53there was no reason whatsoever for them to have stopped, there was
0:18:53 > 0:18:56no-one on the pavement at all and there wasn't even anyone
0:18:56 > 0:19:00on the other side of the road who was potentially crossing the road either.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04The claimants' account of a ghost granny left Ian and his team with
0:19:04 > 0:19:07no doubt that they were dealing with a classic case of crash for cash.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Or were the claimants just trying a supermarket sweep?
0:19:11 > 0:19:14The fact that they gave a version of events that seemed plausible -
0:19:14 > 0:19:16there was someone stepping off the kerb -
0:19:16 > 0:19:19they thought that would be a good enough reason to justify why they
0:19:19 > 0:19:22stopped suddenly. They clearly weren't aware they were being
0:19:22 > 0:19:23videoed by the vehicle behind
0:19:23 > 0:19:25and that that video would show conclusively that
0:19:25 > 0:19:29there really wasn't anyone there and there was no reason for them to stop.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Convinced that this was a fraudulent claim,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Ian set the wheels of justice in motion.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37In this case, once we'd identified the concerns we'd had
0:19:37 > 0:19:39and we'd reviewed the footage, we passed the matter
0:19:39 > 0:19:41to the police and they investigated.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44They arrested the three individuals in the vehicle in front.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47This claim was definitely past its sell-by date and you would
0:19:47 > 0:19:51have thought the fraudsters would have checked out here, but not so.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55Even after they were arrested by the police and questioned
0:19:55 > 0:19:57and shown the footage, they still decided to plead
0:19:57 > 0:19:59not guilty at the criminal trial but, thankfully,
0:19:59 > 0:20:03the strength of the evidence that we had, including the footage,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05meant that they were convicted.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08All three occupants of the car were convicted of fraud...
0:20:11 > 0:20:14..and each received three months behind bars.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17I suspect that when they reached the decision to pursue this
0:20:17 > 0:20:19fraudulent claim and to set up the accident,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22I don't think they ever thought that it would end up with the police
0:20:22 > 0:20:26knocking on their door and ultimately them spending three months in prison.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30After trying to defraud the grocery company, justice had been delivered
0:20:30 > 0:20:33and Ian's in no doubt as to why the case was so successful.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37Without the footage, it would've been a much more difficult case to defend,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40because it would have been the word of the Ocado driver against
0:20:40 > 0:20:42the three occupants in the third-party vehicle,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45so having the footage really did help us immensely in this case.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48And any other fraudsters who think online grocery vans
0:20:48 > 0:20:51are a sweet treat when it comes to insurance claims
0:20:51 > 0:20:53are, quite frankly, off their trolley.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58I think fraudsters see this kind of accident as easy money,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00relative to other areas of crime
0:21:00 > 0:21:03and, also, I think they see it as relatively low risk,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06but I think this case is a good example of where it's not easy money
0:21:06 > 0:21:09and it's not low risk and it can have some quite serious consequences
0:21:09 > 0:21:12including, in this case, a custodial sentence.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Some people like a flutter on the horses or a game of cards.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Crossing your fingers or knocking on wood are just
0:21:24 > 0:21:27some of the things we do for luck.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Some of us even have lucky rituals.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32However, when a case involving a superstitious gambler landed
0:21:32 > 0:21:37on John Beadle's desk at RSA, it raised a smile or two.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Actually, it's quite amusing,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43because this gentleman had a lucky habit where
0:21:43 > 0:21:46he pressed the button on the machine
0:21:46 > 0:21:50and then walked backwards, watching the machine while it played...
0:21:51 > 0:21:55..and he'd repeat this several times.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Let's have a look at this lucky ritual. Here we go.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02So, it's a few steps back, throw your hand behind your back,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05a little shimmy round the stool, and here we go again.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11A few steps back, bit of a quick lunge
0:22:11 > 0:22:15and swing your leg out to the left. Well, that works for me.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19But this prancing punter's lucky moves turned out to be his downfall.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22He claimed he was sitting on a stool
0:22:22 > 0:22:29and the stool spun round causing him to fall to the floor and sustained
0:22:29 > 0:22:32an injury of deep laceration of the knee
0:22:32 > 0:22:36and the claim was for in excess of £13,000.
0:22:37 > 0:22:4113 grand is a windfall for any gambler and, unsurprisingly,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44this fella thought he was going to be quids in.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46But what he didn't bank on
0:22:46 > 0:22:49were the CCTV cameras that captured the truth.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Ooph, what a fall. But I think his luck might have just run out.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Well, we became suspicious very early on
0:23:01 > 0:23:06when they reviewed the CCTV and it showed that the claimant
0:23:06 > 0:23:11actually didn't fall off the stool that he allegedly had.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15Now, there's no disputing that this fella has had a nasty fall...
0:23:17 > 0:23:20..but it doesn't look like he has any intention of getting up.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27In fact, he's really milking it.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30It's been nearly two minutes and he's still on the floor.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33What on earth is he waiting for?
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Ah, there you go, a knight in shining armour.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39And, as luck would have it, a potential witness.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41On your feet, son.
0:23:43 > 0:23:44Oh, there he goes again.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Never mind the stool, this chap's acting like he's been hit by a bus.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Now, I've seen some overacting in my time,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55but this really takes the biscuit.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00'Ey up, what he doing? Trousers are coming down now.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03No-one wants to see that.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08You just take five, mate.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12But, despite his ordeal, our unlucky gambler still managed to check
0:24:12 > 0:24:13if he's hit the jackpot.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Trousers on and back on his feet, it's back to business.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25But as far as RSA was concerned, all bets were off.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29He said that the stool was faulty and, of course,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32the CCTV showed that he wasn't sitting on it at all.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36The injury is caused, really, by his own stupidity.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43And it's one of those cases where an accident is an accident
0:24:43 > 0:24:47and there is really no blame or liability on anybody
0:24:47 > 0:24:51apart from himself and his rather peculiar betting habit.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56So, to anyone out there who thinks they can cheat the system,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58remember that the house always wins,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01no matter how much of a song and a dance you make out of it.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Notting Hill Carnival.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Every August bank holiday, London comes alive with the vibrant
0:25:16 > 0:25:21sounds and colourful costumes of one of the largest festivals in Europe.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25With an estimated one million Carnival partygoers,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28it's an ideal opportunity for a thief to strike.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Insurers TH March & Co dealt with one claimant
0:25:31 > 0:25:33who lost more than he bargained for.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36We were notified by our customer
0:25:36 > 0:25:37that he had unfortunately
0:25:37 > 0:25:42lost his gent's 18 carat Rolex Daytona gold watch
0:25:42 > 0:25:44which was as a result of a scuffle which took place
0:25:44 > 0:25:48at the Notting Hill Carnival in August 2014.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52And this particular gold watch was worth a bob or two.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55£25,000 by most people's standards, is a lot of money
0:25:55 > 0:25:56to spend on a watch and, in fact,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59it's probably worth more than most people spend on their car.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03It wasn't just the value of the watch that caught the insurer's eye.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05What we found particularly unusual about this loss
0:26:05 > 0:26:08was that it wasn't discovered until two hours after
0:26:08 > 0:26:10the alleged assault, scuffle, mugging took place.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13I don't know about you, but if I was actually assaulted or bumped into
0:26:13 > 0:26:16in the street, the first thing I'd do is check my possessions.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18In this particular case, the gentleman concerned
0:26:18 > 0:26:20didn't discover the item was missing
0:26:20 > 0:26:22until at least two hours and, for something as big, chunky
0:26:22 > 0:26:26and worth nearly £25,000, we found this slightly unusual.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31But for the insurer, there was still one missing link.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33The customer didn't report the loss to the police
0:26:33 > 0:26:36until the following day. I'd want to talk to a policeman straight away,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39get something reported straight away in case they can actually find it
0:26:39 > 0:26:42or maybe find somebody and apprehend them, who may have taken it.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Thankfully, all wasn't lost for the claimant.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48The insured was able to produce the original Rolex box
0:26:48 > 0:26:50together with all the paperwork to go with that.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52This is a good point
0:26:52 > 0:26:54and something we would expect for any particular claim.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57The insurer continued with their enquiries,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00but the claimant's responses just didn't ring true.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03What we found slightly unusual was the watch was
0:27:03 > 0:27:05purchased from a friend of a friend.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Whilst he could remember the first name of the person from whom it was
0:27:09 > 0:27:12bought, he couldn't produce any of the contact details, including
0:27:12 > 0:27:14a phone number, e-mail or even an address.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17What we find slightly more unusual was that the person
0:27:17 > 0:27:20who he purchased the watch from apparently provided him
0:27:20 > 0:27:24with a receipt which he could not find at the time of the claim.
0:27:24 > 0:27:29It was all looking a bit suspect, but then there was a killer blow.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31The thing that really blew this claim out of the water was
0:27:31 > 0:27:33the fact, on further questioning,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35he disclosed that he had a previous criminal conviction.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38This meant, by not disclosing a conviction,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41that the policy would be treated as null and void by the insurers
0:27:41 > 0:27:43and no claim could be proceeded with.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46And as a result of this, they were willing,
0:27:46 > 0:27:50in this particular case, to give him a refund of the premium.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55Remember, the insurer always keeps a watchful eye over all claims.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59If you're not 100% truthful at the time of taking out the policy,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02you run a real risk of not having any future claim met
0:28:02 > 0:28:05and you could be substantially out of pocket as a result of that.