0:00:02 > 0:00:04One of the fastest-growing areas of crime in the UK
0:00:04 > 0:00:06happens right on our doorsteps.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10I'm talking about cold-calling conmen and rip-off rogue traders
0:00:10 > 0:00:14and we're determined to beat these doorstep criminals.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19All over the UK, award-winning police and Trading Standards teams are tackling them
0:00:19 > 0:00:23and you've not been shy about giving us your views.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24On today's programme,
0:00:24 > 0:00:27the shocking countrywide story
0:00:27 > 0:00:30of criminals who got their just desserts
0:00:30 > 0:00:33after posing as police officers to rip off thousands of pounds.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37In her words, they were so feasible.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Plus, a gutsy daughter who's determined to fight back.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Her poor mum suffered at the hands of rogue traders
0:00:43 > 0:00:47and now she wants to stop it happening to other people.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51We believe that over the course of probably about ten days,
0:00:51 > 0:00:55these men took approximately £30,000 from my mum.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57And the dynamic duo from Wiltshire
0:00:57 > 0:01:00who took the law into their own hands,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03saving their neighbour from a shocking robbery.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07I grabbed him round the neck and he dragged me down the side the house
0:01:07 > 0:01:09but I wasn't going to let go.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Hello, and huge thanks to all of you
0:01:16 > 0:01:19who've been sending in your thoughts on doorstep crime
0:01:19 > 0:01:21and more importantly, how to beat it.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25Now, Peter Rolington from Kent and Angela Money from Berkshire
0:01:25 > 0:01:31both feel that setting up No Cold Calling Zones in their communities
0:01:31 > 0:01:33has led to a big reduction in unwanted visitors.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36I know lots of you would agree with them.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38But what else can be done?
0:01:38 > 0:01:40We've been following up on another initiative
0:01:40 > 0:01:42to protect the vulnerable.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46In the borough of Havering in Essex,
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Trading Standards and the Metropolitan police have teamed up
0:01:50 > 0:01:53for a new scheme which takes the fight against doorstep crime
0:01:53 > 0:01:57to a revolutionary location - a high street bank.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Today, Fair Trading Officer David Turner
0:02:00 > 0:02:02is putting the scheme into practice.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06What we're asking is for you guys, cos you are frontline staff,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08to identify vulnerable elderly people
0:02:08 > 0:02:12that may come into your bank withdrawing large amounts of cash
0:02:12 > 0:02:15and we want you to ask a question as to what that cash is needed for.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18That may sound like an invasion of privacy
0:02:18 > 0:02:21but encouraging bank staff to open their eyes
0:02:21 > 0:02:24to the needs of supporting consumers is a great thing.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26The scheme aims to combat the growing problem
0:02:26 > 0:02:30of doorstep criminals exploiting sufferers of dementia.
0:02:30 > 0:02:36Sometimes the rogue trader will accompany the person to the bank.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40They may take them to the bank and ask them to withdraw the money.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Through your questioning, if you ascertain
0:02:42 > 0:02:46they haven't been brought to the bank by the rogue trader,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49doesn't necessarily mean they're not being defrauded.
0:02:49 > 0:02:50It's a very sad fact
0:02:50 > 0:02:54but people with dementia are prime targets for doorstep criminals.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Andrew Ketteringham from the Alzheimer's Society
0:02:57 > 0:03:01has some compelling evidence.
0:03:01 > 0:03:02Our investigations have suggested
0:03:02 > 0:03:04that something like £100 million
0:03:04 > 0:03:08has been taken from people with dementia in one scam or another.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11A large part of that will be through doorstep selling
0:03:11 > 0:03:14but of course, it's a very difficult crime to investigate
0:03:14 > 0:03:17because people have difficulties in explaining what's happened,
0:03:17 > 0:03:19often they're embarrassed about it,
0:03:19 > 0:03:24in many cases they don't realise the full impact of what's happened.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29£100 million is both a staggering and sickening figure,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32but according to research carried out by Kings College
0:03:32 > 0:03:34and the London School of Economics
0:03:34 > 0:03:38on behalf of the Alzheimer's Society, it could get even worse.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42The number of people with dementia is set to grow substantially.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45There'll be a million people living with dementia by 2018,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48and the result is, if we don't do something about it,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51this problem's going to get bigger and bigger.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53The authorities are determined to fight back
0:03:53 > 0:03:57through initiatives like the one in Havering,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00but unfortunately, it's too late for Cate Partridge.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Her family experienced this type of doorstep crime
0:04:03 > 0:04:05when her late mother was targeted,
0:04:05 > 0:04:07so Cate's very anxious to share her story
0:04:07 > 0:04:11and prevent other families from suffering the same trauma.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14We thought we'd done everything we could to protect her
0:04:14 > 0:04:16whilst keeping her independent
0:04:16 > 0:04:19but clearly she was targeted by ruthless people
0:04:19 > 0:04:24who really don't care how much pain they might cause to a family
0:04:24 > 0:04:26by targeting someone that vulnerable
0:04:26 > 0:04:29and who needed the money for her future care.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31We'll be hearing more about Cate's story
0:04:31 > 0:04:34and further information about the pioneering scheme at Havering
0:04:34 > 0:04:36later on in the programme.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Now, here's another example of doorstep crime.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Hi, Gloria. I'm just letting you know
0:04:43 > 0:04:45about an incident involving two young men
0:04:45 > 0:04:49which I saw loitering over at an elderly lady's
0:04:49 > 0:04:52and I thought I'd go and get my next door neighbour,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54and we thought, "We're not having this."
0:04:54 > 0:04:58I'm just letting you know what really happened.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Sounds intriguing, Graham, and I can't wait to hear the full story.
0:05:02 > 0:05:03But you know, I have one of my own
0:05:03 > 0:05:06from my recent fact-finding trip to Hertfordshire.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08This is a real shocker, believe me,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12but the good news is that the criminals are now paying the price.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16They were a three-man gang of con artists
0:05:16 > 0:05:19whose crimes spread from the South Coast
0:05:19 > 0:05:21to as far north as Edinburgh.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23They used a variety of guises
0:05:23 > 0:05:26to swindle their way into the homes of the vulnerable,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29shockingly, posing as police officers.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Now, this trio of doorstep criminals
0:05:31 > 0:05:35made life a misery for families the length and breadth of Britain,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38and one woman who knows the story only too well
0:05:38 > 0:05:40is Jean Camp from Hertfordshire
0:05:40 > 0:05:42because her mother-in-law Violet
0:05:42 > 0:05:44fell victim to one of their doorstep distractions.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Just to set the scene, tell me how close you were to her.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50She was very much like a friend.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53She was more like a friend than a mother-in-law.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56What kind of person what she? Was she quite feisty as an individual?
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Oh, feisty is exactly the word.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03She had a very strong sense of justice and right and wrong.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06After a previous run-in with doorstep con artists,
0:06:06 > 0:06:11the police had installed CCTV in Violet's house for extra security.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14But one afternoon in January 2010,
0:06:14 > 0:06:15she was targeted again.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20She heard the doorbell go, she went.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22What did they say at the door?
0:06:22 > 0:06:25They said they worked for the Water Board and she had a leak.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29The gang would usually pose as plain-clothed police officers
0:06:29 > 0:06:32so their claim to be from the Water Board was a new tactic.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Sadly, Violet has since passed away
0:06:35 > 0:06:37but her family have allowed us
0:06:37 > 0:06:39to show the video statement she made to the police
0:06:39 > 0:06:42and the extraordinary CCTV footage
0:06:42 > 0:06:45of the gang trying to enter the house.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48He says, "Are you on your own?"
0:06:48 > 0:06:51I said, "Yes, I am, but you're not coming in,"
0:06:51 > 0:06:54and I kept pushing him away with my hand.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57As I was doing that, this older chap come running down.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00He said, "We're from the council,"
0:07:00 > 0:07:03and showed me this identity thing.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07But it was this fake ID which convinced Violet they were genuine.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11So I thought, "Just in case, I'll let them in."
0:07:11 > 0:07:13The gang was led by Miles Connor,
0:07:13 > 0:07:14along with his son Patrick
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and accomplice James Hanrahan.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21These devious doorsteppers were only interested in one thing,
0:07:21 > 0:07:22stealing from the vulnerable.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Sadly, Violet was an ideal target.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30She invited them into the kitchen and one came with her,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32immediately going under the sink.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36And then she noticed
0:07:36 > 0:07:39there was some water trickling out from under the sink.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43The water leak was a diversion created by the conmen
0:07:43 > 0:07:47to distract Violet while one of them went upstairs to look for valuables.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Now, Violet was concerned,
0:07:49 > 0:07:53and followed him to check that her £200 pension money was safe
0:07:53 > 0:07:57but in doing so, she gave away the location to the thieves.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01It was a typical distraction technique.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03After Violet had gone downstairs,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06the gang were able to grab the cash.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Did she realise at the time,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10- while she was being distracted - in the kitchen,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13- somebody else was rifling through her things?- Not a clue.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16She didn't realise until she'd finished mopping up
0:08:16 > 0:08:19and she realised they'd just disappeared, they'd gone.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21And that was it.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24She then knew what was going on.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27In her words, they were so feasible.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32In this case, it was unusual for the gang to dress so casually.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Normally, they'd claim to be police officers
0:08:35 > 0:08:38as, indeed, the police themselves soon discovered.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42It turned out that there were 50 of this particular type of burglary,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45where the three criminals dressed up as policemen
0:08:45 > 0:08:48in order to divert the attention of their victims.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51The cases stretched from Dorset to Staffordshire
0:08:51 > 0:08:53and from Sussex to North Yorkshire,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55so how did the police fight back?
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Chief Inspector Steve Smith of North Yorkshire police
0:09:00 > 0:09:04was in charge of the hunt for Miles Connor and his cronies.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Luckily, he was able to draw on the work of Operation Liberal,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11a nationwide police database of doorstep crime.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Operation Liberal manages to collate reports of these offences
0:09:17 > 0:09:18and it will identify very quickly
0:09:18 > 0:09:21across county boundaries, across force boundaries,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23emerging trends, emerging patterns,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26common vehicles, common descriptions.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28It was thanks to Operation Liberal
0:09:28 > 0:09:33that police were able to access the CCTV footage from Violet's house
0:09:33 > 0:09:35and positively identify the gang.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37The CCTV clearly showed
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Patrick Connor burgling the house of this old lady.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45It shows him going in and convincing her they need to be in the house,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48which is really quite damning,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51almost chilling, in terms of how up-front
0:09:51 > 0:09:53and how ruthless they can be.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56The footage was a turning point for the case,
0:09:56 > 0:10:00and sure enough, the net started to close in on the gang.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03We realised they'd moved north, up to Edinburgh,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06and further offences had happened there over a weekend,
0:10:06 > 0:10:10including the theft of over £20,000 from a man from his own home.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12It was in Edinburgh that greed
0:10:12 > 0:10:15finally got the better of the Connor gang.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17When they flaunted their cash in a hotel bar,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20the hotel raised the alarm and called the police.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Recognising their descriptions,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26the police swooped on the hotel and arrested the gang
0:10:26 > 0:10:29as they tried to spend more of their ill-gotten gains.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Time had finally run out for the conmen.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38They eventually pleaded guilty to charges of burglary
0:10:38 > 0:10:40and conspiracy to burgle.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Miles Connor received nine years.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Patrick Connor received seven years
0:10:44 > 0:10:46and Hanrahan got five.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Three dangerous people were taken off the streets,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50put into prison,
0:10:50 > 0:10:54and if burglars are in prison, they can't harm people.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Although they're now safely behind bars,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Jean still lives with the impact
0:10:59 > 0:11:01that Miles Connor and his gang had on her family.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06Both my husband and I are very, very angry about it.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08When we got a phone call from the police
0:11:08 > 0:11:10and were told in no uncertain terms
0:11:10 > 0:11:12that these guys weren't...
0:11:12 > 0:11:15out in the community any more,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18well, I'm afraid we cheered, we were so delighted.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22The community as a whole has a responsibility
0:11:22 > 0:11:25to inform and make people aware
0:11:25 > 0:11:29of what can happen when somebody knocks the door.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32If we don't know them, we don't trust them.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34I think it's as simple as that.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36And if they are genuine,
0:11:36 > 0:11:41then they won't mind standing on the doorstep while we check them out.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43And if they're not, we keep them out of our homes.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47Still to come,
0:11:47 > 0:11:51the gutsy super seniors who stopped robbers in their tracks.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55At the time, your instinct is for the elderly person
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and I was more concerned with her safety than my own.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Paul Cheall from Norfolk has been in touch.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07This is what he says. When he gets cold callers,
0:12:07 > 0:12:10then depending on what is being sold at the door,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12he says he's either out of work
0:12:12 > 0:12:14or he's renting the house, or about to move,
0:12:14 > 0:12:18or that he works in the same trade and can get it cheaper,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20but either way, he gives a polite excuse
0:12:20 > 0:12:23and that takes the wind out of their sails. So thanks for that tip, Paul.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27And do keep sending in all your e-mails and your letters.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29At this point, let's return to Essex.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35In Havering, Trading Standards and the police have come up with
0:12:35 > 0:12:39a brilliant new scheme to catch doorstep criminals via local banks.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42The scheme aims to tackle the growing problem
0:12:42 > 0:12:46of doorstep criminals exploiting sufferers of dementia.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Since the system, the bank protocol's been introduced,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52have you found any difficulties in delivering the scheme?
0:12:52 > 0:12:57I think it is hard to find the right tactful questions to ask people
0:12:57 > 0:13:01without seeming that you're being nosy about their affairs.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I think once this has come into development,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07eventually we will find the right things we can say to people.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10It seems that bank and building society staff
0:13:10 > 0:13:12are gradually waking up to the idea
0:13:12 > 0:13:15that vulnerable consumers can be ripped off at their banks
0:13:15 > 0:13:20by rogue traders and con artists who want to extort their life savings.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Those staff are to be applauded for trying to find ways to help.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Cate Partridge of Norfolk wishes her late mother Jean
0:13:28 > 0:13:31had the benefit of such attentive bank staff back in 2004
0:13:31 > 0:13:37when she was targeted by doorstepping rogue traders.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39We first realised my mum had dementia
0:13:39 > 0:13:43when she began repeating herself all the time, and losing things
0:13:43 > 0:13:45and not really realising that she'd lost them.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49It was important for us that she kept her dignity and independence
0:13:49 > 0:13:52for as long as possible, as when she was first diagnosed,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54she was still looking after herself successfully.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Cate felt she and her family had a difficult situation under control.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02But sadly, she hadn't reckoned on cold-calling criminals
0:14:02 > 0:14:06who thought nothing of preying on someone as vulnerable as Jean.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09The men who came to visit Mum
0:14:09 > 0:14:12offered to rebrick her drive,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16to rebuild a garden wall, and then to maybe move into the house
0:14:16 > 0:14:19and do interior decorating for her.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23In the event, they didn't do any of that work at all.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26I don't think Cate's mother's experience is unusual.
0:14:26 > 0:14:27We see a number of cases
0:14:27 > 0:14:31where people have cold-callers coming to their door.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34They enter into some sort of relationship in good faith
0:14:34 > 0:14:37and then what is supposed to happen just doesn't happen.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Sometimes they're very financially disadvantaged as a result.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43When these doorstep criminals
0:14:43 > 0:14:46realised how easily they could manipulate Jean,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48they didn't even bother to do any work.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51They simply asked for cash.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54We believe that over the course of probably about ten days,
0:14:54 > 0:14:59these men took approximately £30,000 from my mum.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02In one day, we believe she went about 12 times
0:15:02 > 0:15:05and each time withdrew a large amount of money, gave it to these men,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09who certainly on some of the occasions had accompanied her
0:15:09 > 0:15:11as far as the door of the bank.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14They knew she couldn't remember she'd paid them already,
0:15:14 > 0:15:16so their behaviour was enormously abusive.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19It's absolutely disgusting,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22but this shocking sequence of events also left Cate questioning
0:15:22 > 0:15:27whether Jean's bank had acted in her best interest.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30I was very surprised that the bank had allowed my mum to take out money,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33especially 12 times in a single day.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35It was completely out of character,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39it was a pattern of withdrawing money that was completely foreign to her.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42And she'd been a customer of that particular branch
0:15:42 > 0:15:44for over 40 years, so they should have known
0:15:44 > 0:15:48that there was something not right about what she was doing.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51I think banks have an important role to play
0:15:51 > 0:15:54in matters like Cate's mother's case.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56They need to be able to talk to a customer
0:15:56 > 0:15:59but they must also recognise what's going on,
0:15:59 > 0:16:03so the first thing they've got to do is improve their training
0:16:03 > 0:16:06and make sure their staff recognise something
0:16:06 > 0:16:08which perhaps looks very odd, like this.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12And the good news is that banks are now very aware of this problem.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Through the work of Trading Standards and police
0:16:15 > 0:16:18steps are being taken to empower bank staff
0:16:18 > 0:16:20so that they too can play a part
0:16:20 > 0:16:23in stamping out this despicable crime.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27We'll have an update on that story for you a little later on.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Now, we'd all like to think there are people in our communities
0:16:30 > 0:16:33who would help us if we found ourselves in trouble.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Well, just wait until you see this story.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40We're about to meet two Good Samaritans
0:16:40 > 0:16:43who quite literally fought back against two doorstepping criminals
0:16:43 > 0:16:47who tried to burgle an elderly neighbour.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50It's summat you read about in the paper, isn't it?
0:16:50 > 0:16:54It never seems to come round your area, but it landed on our doorstep
0:16:54 > 0:16:57and it makes you aware that it's happening out there.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59The victim of the attempted burglary
0:16:59 > 0:17:02wanted her story to be told to give hope to others,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06but didn't want to be identified, so we'll call her Sheila.
0:17:06 > 0:17:0970-year-old Graham Smith lives across the road from Sheila
0:17:09 > 0:17:12in a quiet Wiltshire market town.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16It's a close-knit community where crime is rare.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19We always watch out for neighbours round this way,
0:17:19 > 0:17:23we watch out for one another, and we belong to the police Neighbourhood Watch in Highworth.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28In November 2010, Graham was settling in for the evening
0:17:28 > 0:17:30when he noticed something unusual.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Round about 7.45, 8 o'clock, we'd just finished washing up
0:17:34 > 0:17:37and as I walked through to the bottom of the stairs,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39I could see through the top of the door
0:17:39 > 0:17:44two young men across the road, and I thought, "They look suspicious."
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Graham became worried when he saw the two men
0:17:47 > 0:17:49heading towards Sheila's house.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52I turned to the wife and said, "Get on the phone
0:17:52 > 0:17:54"and tell her not to open the door."
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Sadly, there was no answer from Sheila
0:17:56 > 0:18:00so Graham decided to take matters into his own hands.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04I put my coat on and walked up to the road
0:18:04 > 0:18:07and as I got to the top, the bedroom light came on.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10And I could see a shadow walking by
0:18:10 > 0:18:13and bending around up and down in her bedroom,
0:18:13 > 0:18:17so with that I thought, "Well, I'm not going to the door by myself.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19"I'll go and see if Nick is in"
0:18:19 > 0:18:2358-year-old ex-Navy man Nicky Ruddle is Graham's neighbour.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Together, they headed over to Sheila's.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29He knocked on the door, and...
0:18:31 > 0:18:32He said, "Come and listen to this."
0:18:32 > 0:18:36And you could hear all this banging.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40It sounded like they were ransacking the bottom part of the house.
0:18:40 > 0:18:41The two dodgy doorsteppers
0:18:41 > 0:18:44had somehow gained entry to Sheila's house
0:18:44 > 0:18:47and it now seemed she was in big trouble.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51DC Mark Harris of Wiltshire police was in charge of the investigation.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54These type of offenders tend to target elderly people
0:18:54 > 0:18:56who quite often are living alone.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59I think these two males clearly went out that evening
0:18:59 > 0:19:01with the intention to steal.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07The thieves had used a typical doorstepping distraction technique.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10While one of them diverted Sheila's attention in the kitchen
0:19:10 > 0:19:12by claiming there was a problem with her water supply,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16his accomplice had gone upstairs to search for money and valuables.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18But these heartless rogues
0:19:18 > 0:19:21hadn't reckoned on the intervention of Sheila's brave neighbours.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22They're in there, look.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24So we was banging on the door.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Open up! You OK in there?
0:19:27 > 0:19:28Come on, open up.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31And we was knocking and shouting through the letterbox,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33with still no reply.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Right, come out of there, you thieving swines.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38And all of a sudden, the door opened.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42One charged out and knocked me backwards.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45I said, "Nicky, grab him."
0:19:45 > 0:19:47He came out of the door like a raging bull.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49So I grabbed him round the neck
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and he dragged me down the side of the house
0:19:52 > 0:19:53but I wasn't going to let go.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57That's it, Nick, hold him, get him. Swing him down!
0:19:57 > 0:20:01And eventually he fell to the floor because he'd run out of puff.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04That's it, get him down. We've got him.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08He was kicking, ranting and whatever. I said to Graham, "Grab his legs."
0:20:08 > 0:20:10We got you! We gotcha!
0:20:10 > 0:20:15He stamped out, kicked out with his feet, stamping backwards.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17His kick was a really hard kick.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21In fact, the kick was so hard that it broke poor Graham's ankle
0:20:21 > 0:20:23but even though he was in pain,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Graham wasn't about to let the doorstepping thief go.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Then all of sudden, I looked up
0:20:29 > 0:20:33and I see this other guy just launching his boot at me.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40I spun round. It caught me on the shoulder.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43And as I spun around and got up, they were up and gone.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46The confrontation had been truly ferocious
0:20:46 > 0:20:49but thanks to the bravery and quick thinking of Graham and Nicky,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53it seemed that Sheila was safe and the thieves had left empty-handed.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57I suppose it could've been worse than it was.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00They might've had a knife or anything like that when they came out.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05But at the time, your instinct is for the elderly person
0:21:05 > 0:21:08and I was more concerned with her safety than my own.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11With the doorstep criminals still on the loose,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14it was crucial that police tracked them down
0:21:14 > 0:21:17before they could target somebody else.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Their breakthrough came thanks to an item of Nicky's clothing.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Officers who attended the scene spoke to Mr Ruddle.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27His T-shirt was seized as a result of him being in close contact
0:21:27 > 0:21:31with the male he'd grabbed around the neck.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33A number of tests were made to the shirt,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35and as a result of these tests,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Michael O'Driscoll was identified through DNA.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Michael O'Driscoll was well known to the police
0:21:42 > 0:21:46as a thief with a preference for distraction burglaries.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Armed with this crucial piece of DNA evidence,
0:21:49 > 0:21:53it wasn't long before O'Driscoll found himself being doorstepped
0:21:53 > 0:21:56when he was arrested at his home by the police.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59But when interviewed,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03the devious conman wasn't about to admit to anything.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07In answer to the vast majority of his questions, he made no comment.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12He was afforded every opportunity to give an explanation
0:22:12 > 0:22:15as to how his DNA was on Mr Ruddle's T-shirt.
0:22:15 > 0:22:16But he failed to do so.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21Faced with such overwhelming evidence against him,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Michael O'Driscoll eventually pleaded guilty
0:22:23 > 0:22:24to burglary and assault,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27and was sentenced to four years in jail.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30His accomplice has never been traced.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34It sends out a clear message to perpetrators of distraction burglary
0:22:34 > 0:22:37that they are likely to receive a lengthy custodial sentence.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39He's out the way for a few years
0:22:39 > 0:22:44and he won't be doing it to any more elderly people while he's in there.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47I think with brave people like Graham and Nicky
0:22:47 > 0:22:50watching out for their neighbours, criminals might think twice
0:22:50 > 0:22:52before targeting their area again.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55The actions of Mr Ruddle and Mr Smith that night
0:22:55 > 0:22:59were commendable, fantastic. Without their involvement on that night,
0:22:59 > 0:23:00there's a very good chance
0:23:00 > 0:23:03this particular offence would have gone undetected.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Isn't that just marvellous?
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Thanks to Nicky and Graham for sharing their story,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14and I'm sure their neighbours must feel a whole lot safer
0:23:14 > 0:23:17knowing that they're keeping them peeled.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Back at Havering in Essex, Trading Standards Officer David Turner
0:23:24 > 0:23:29and the local police are making good progress with the training session.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Remember, they're encouraging bank staff to take action
0:23:31 > 0:23:36if they think vulnerable customers are making transactions out of the ordinary,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38and just might be victims of doorstep crime.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43I'd like to ask you a question. Has anyone had any circumstances
0:23:43 > 0:23:45where someone's come into the bank
0:23:45 > 0:23:48and asked to withdraw money, and you're not too sure about it
0:23:48 > 0:23:51or you've had a query, and how you've dealt with it?
0:23:51 > 0:23:54We've often had people come into the bank,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58unsure why they need the money and where it's going,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02so we've had incidences where we have referred to the process
0:24:02 > 0:24:04and we found the scheme really, really helpful.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08It's all very positive news for consumers
0:24:08 > 0:24:11and there are hopes that similar training can be rolled out
0:24:11 > 0:24:14for bank and building society staff right across the UK.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17It might help to prevent vulnerable customers from being ripped off.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20For instance, Jean McKay-Haynes, who was so affected by dementia
0:24:20 > 0:24:24that rogue traders made her withdraw - wait for it -
0:24:24 > 0:24:27over £30,000
0:24:27 > 0:24:29and she simply had no memory of it.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Her daughter Cate is determined that no-one else
0:24:31 > 0:24:34should see a loved relative suffer in the same way.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38The kind of people who do this to vulnerable elderly people
0:24:38 > 0:24:40clearly have no remorse whatsoever.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43I think I would say they were scum, really,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46and I think they deserve
0:24:46 > 0:24:49the strongest possible punishment if they're caught.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53'I'm really encouraged that banks are now working with police
0:24:53 > 0:24:57'and Trading Standards to formulate policies to protect their customers.'
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Perhaps, if this sort of thing
0:24:59 > 0:25:01had been in place when my mum was targeted,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04she wouldn't have been conned as she was.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Unfortunately, Jean's tormentors were never caught,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10but with the new scheme now in use,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14crimes like these could become a thing of the past.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15I think it went really well.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18I was pleased by how staff asked questions about the scheme
0:25:18 > 0:25:21and hopefully that will lead them to feeling comfortable
0:25:21 > 0:25:23asking questions to their customers
0:25:23 > 0:25:25to identify those that may be victims of crime
0:25:25 > 0:25:27or suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29so they contact us in future.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31The scheme has got off to a flying start
0:25:31 > 0:25:34and the staff in this bank are clearly pleased
0:25:34 > 0:25:37to be able to do their part in the fight against doorstep crime.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42I really think the banking protocol is a positive scheme
0:25:42 > 0:25:45and should be rolled out amongst all banks worldwide,
0:25:45 > 0:25:47cos I think it's a fantastic opportunity
0:25:47 > 0:25:50for everyone to help the vulnerable people in the community.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52If I could stop a customer being ripped off,
0:25:52 > 0:25:56I would be so glad that I'd been able to do that for somebody,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59that feeling of elation that you've been able to help somebody
0:25:59 > 0:26:01who's worked hard for their money
0:26:01 > 0:26:03and prevented it from being defrauded from them,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06how good would you feel if that was you?
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Like I said, it's not every day that you deal with it,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13but when it does happen and you can help, then wow, what a feeling.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Now, before we go, an e-mail from Clive Baker,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22and he says it's always wise to have a front gate,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25then buy a "beware of the dog" sign to put on it.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Make sure it has a picture of the dog,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30a German Shepherd, for example, would do very well.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Most people won't enter a gate with a dog sign up
0:26:33 > 0:26:36and you don't even have to have a dog,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39so thanks for that tip, Clive, and I bet that really does the trick.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42We're here to fight back against doorstep criminals,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44and we'd really love to hear more
0:26:44 > 0:26:47about how you have stopped them ripping you off.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52You can find all the details about how to get in touch at bbc.co.uk.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Until then, thanks very much for watching
0:26:54 > 0:26:57and I hope you'll join me again next time.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd