0:00:02 > 0:00:04Rogue-trading rip off merchants, cold-calling conmen -
0:00:04 > 0:00:07these types of crime strike on our very doorsteps.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10And you know what? They're getting worse and worse.
0:00:10 > 0:00:11But don't be too alarmed -
0:00:11 > 0:00:16we've been out and about with award-winning police and trading standards teams
0:00:16 > 0:00:20all over the country to see how they're fighting back.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24With your help, we're campaigning to show doorstep con artists the door.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Today, the incredible story of the doorstep criminal
0:00:27 > 0:00:30who got his comeuppance after ripping thousands of pounds
0:00:30 > 0:00:32off unsuspecting churchgoers.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36I just thought to myself, "This bloke is conning me."
0:00:36 > 0:00:39The alarming story of scammers brought to justice
0:00:39 > 0:00:42for tricking consumers into paying extortionate prices
0:00:42 > 0:00:45for burglar alarms they didn't even need.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50These particular alarms you could buy off the shelf for £200-£250.
0:00:50 > 0:00:56Pentagon were charging their victims between £800 and £4,000.
0:00:56 > 0:00:57Absolutely outrageous.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Plus, we hit the streets of Leicestershire,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03with an award-winning taskforce of volunteer crime busters,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07as they defend their village against doorstep crooks.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Cold callers, doorstep sellers know that they are not welcome
0:01:11 > 0:01:13and there's no excuses whatsoever.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Hello, and welcome along to the programme,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Your e-mails are keeping me very busy, but I like it.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30There's nothing worse than opening your front door to find a stranger
0:01:30 > 0:01:32who quite simply may be up to no good.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34And, from what I've been reading
0:01:34 > 0:01:37from viewers like Tammy Friel and Ramya Perera,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41they completely agree and want to stop the crooks now.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Well, we've been to meet a group of volunteers in Leicestershire
0:01:44 > 0:01:47who give up their time to fight crime in their village.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50And you know what? They've even won awards for it.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54When it comes to doorstep crime,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57the residents of Blaby have a zero-tolerance policy.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00In fact, residents here are so determined to stamp it out
0:02:00 > 0:02:04that they have a group of volunteers who work with the local police,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06not only to support victims,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09but also to stop it from happening in the first place.
0:02:09 > 0:02:10We saw an opportunity
0:02:10 > 0:02:16where we could really bring together some best practice
0:02:16 > 0:02:23from a range of agencies to really go pro-active in reducing
0:02:23 > 0:02:26distraction burglaries, doorstep crime
0:02:26 > 0:02:29for those people that were most vulnerable.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33The plucky villagers are fighting back by setting up
0:02:33 > 0:02:35No Cold-Calling Zones and making home visits
0:02:35 > 0:02:38which aim to educate residents about what they can do
0:02:38 > 0:02:41to prevent themselves from becoming victims.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46And so far, it's proving to be extremely successful.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48The volunteers have won
0:02:48 > 0:02:53the National Policing Improvement Agency award twice now
0:02:53 > 0:02:58in three years and have been nominated again this year.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01That really reflects the hard work and the difference
0:03:01 > 0:03:05that police volunteers can make to, not only what I do,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08but the communities they serve.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12An important part of the volunteers' work
0:03:12 > 0:03:14is the support they give to victims of doorstep crime,
0:03:14 > 0:03:19and one person who's benefited from this is Iris Halfpenny.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24She had her handbag stolen after a burglar followed her into her house one night.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27I just couldn't believe it when I went for my handbag
0:03:27 > 0:03:29and it wasn't there.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32And then I suddenly thought I'd left the back door open
0:03:32 > 0:03:34and I'd had the burglars.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39It's the initial shock you get when you have the burglars,
0:03:39 > 0:03:46and at my age, you know, 86, it isn't easy.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49The police put Iris in touch with the Blaby volunteers.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52They fitted an alarm to her back porch,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55repaired a CCTV camera her late husband had installed,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59and gave her advice on how resist doorstep criminals.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02We can't do anything about the fact she's been a victim of crime,
0:04:02 > 0:04:07but what we can do is help her rebuild the rest of her life,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11because it can have a devastating effect on someone.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16To spare others from the ordeal that Iris went through
0:04:16 > 0:04:18the volunteers carry out home visits.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Christine Ainge is one of the gutsy village folk
0:04:21 > 0:04:25giving up their time to protect their neighbours, like Alan Darton.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29So, what can she do to protect him from the threat of doorstep crime?
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Hello, Alan, I'm Chris, I'm from the police volunteer
0:04:33 > 0:04:36from the local Blaby policing unit.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39- I've come to have a chat with you about security?- Do come in.
0:04:39 > 0:04:40Thank you.
0:04:44 > 0:04:50I see that you didn't have a door chain fitted when we came in.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53One of the things we strongly advise
0:04:53 > 0:04:56is for everybody to have a door chain,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59or something that's easier to manage is a door bar.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02The important thing we need everybody to know is
0:05:02 > 0:05:07if anybody comes to the door you don't know, you're not expecting,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11you do not open the door until you've put the door chain on.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16That acts as a reminder for you, so that when you walk to the door
0:05:16 > 0:05:20you'll see that and that will remind you
0:05:20 > 0:05:24to put the chain on before you open the door,
0:05:24 > 0:05:30and to check and ask for identification.
0:05:30 > 0:05:31- OK?- Yes.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36Home visits like this are a great way of making people aware of the dangers,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39but it's just one aspect of the work that the volunteers do.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42And with so many options to choose from,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45it looks like Alan is going to be a very happy customer.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50We'll check in with the Blaby team a little later on in the programme.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Now here's another instance of doorstep crime.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57Hi, Gloria, I'm Detective Constable Leigh Bickerdyke from Gloucestershire Constabulary.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00I would like to tell your viewers about a con artist who travelled
0:06:00 > 0:06:03throughout the United Kingdom over a two-year period,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06targeting vulnerable and elderly members of the community.
0:06:06 > 0:06:11I want to tell you how Gloucestershire police worked with other police forces
0:06:11 > 0:06:13throughout the country to put an end to his crime spree.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Many thanks indeed, Leigh, that sounds like a dramatic story,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21and we'll be meeting her later to find out all the details.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24First, we have a really shocking story
0:06:24 > 0:06:28which just goes to show how great the cost of doorstep crime can be.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33We're in the Midlands, where two con artists decided
0:06:33 > 0:06:36to prey on consumers' home safety fears
0:06:36 > 0:06:39by selling them faulty burglar alarms at extortionate prices.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Pentagon Security liked to project themselves
0:06:42 > 0:06:46as if they were out there protecting people.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50In fact, Pentagon Security were the people these consumers should have been protected from.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Pentagon Security Systems -
0:06:52 > 0:06:56not to be confused with reputable companies of a similar name -
0:06:56 > 0:06:59was run by Harjit Kalian and Ajay Chopra,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02a dodgy duo who would try anything to get a sale.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08They were preying on the vulnerability of the consumers,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11using press cuttings of criminal activity,
0:07:11 > 0:07:15such as people being burgled, assaulted, attacked in their homes.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18So they were using scare tactics to try and sell their alarms.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23One person who fell victim to the scam was 81-year-old Gwendolyn Stokes.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26In 2008, she was at home in Walsall
0:07:26 > 0:07:29when Kalian and Chopra knocked on her door
0:07:29 > 0:07:32offering to sell her a burglar alarm.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35At the time, Gwendolyn was in the early stages of dementia
0:07:35 > 0:07:38and is now sadly unable to appear,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41but her daughter, Heather, is keen to tell her story.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43'She was very forgetful.'
0:07:43 > 0:07:49She needed to be reminded about certain things, about paying bills,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52about shopping, about personal care, even.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Kalian and Chopra conned their way into Gwendolyn's home,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03and, using their scare tactics, persuaded her
0:08:03 > 0:08:06to buy an alarm system for a whopping £1,600.
0:08:08 > 0:08:14These particular alarms you could buy off the shelf for about £200-250.
0:08:14 > 0:08:19Pentagon were charging their victims between £800 and £4,000.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22£4,000? What shocking a rip off.
0:08:22 > 0:08:27Pentagon wasted no time in fitting their overpriced alarm,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30and Heather was in for a shock when she popped round
0:08:30 > 0:08:32to check on her mum the following day.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37When I found out that Pentagon had actually been
0:08:37 > 0:08:40and fitted this alarm system, I was quite shocked
0:08:40 > 0:08:44because Mum had never said to any member of the family
0:08:44 > 0:08:46that she wanted a burglar alarm.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49We didn't feel that she would be able to use a burglar alarm system
0:08:49 > 0:08:52because of her failing mental health.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54But not only were these conmen
0:08:54 > 0:08:57happy to rip off a vulnerable woman with dementia,
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Heather was stunned to learn they'd also insisted that her mum
0:09:01 > 0:09:05drive with them to the bank to withdraw the cash.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07That quite alarmed me -
0:09:07 > 0:09:11the fact that they were going with Mum to the bank,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15they would know bank codes, sort codes, and so on.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20|They should have contacted myself or my brother
0:09:20 > 0:09:23to find out whether, indeed, Mum even had the funds
0:09:23 > 0:09:25to pay for this alarm system.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Robert Charnley of Sandwell Trading Standards
0:09:27 > 0:09:30led the investigation to track down Kalian and Chopra.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33We began to follow the case back in 2007
0:09:33 > 0:09:36when one or two complaints started to come through
0:09:36 > 0:09:38which started to cause us some alarm.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42There were allegations about the way these people were approaching
0:09:42 > 0:09:46people in their own homes and taking people to the bank so they could get paid.
0:09:46 > 0:09:52We began to make investigations and we were able to identify further victims.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Amongst them was 70-year-old Graham Carlin,
0:09:56 > 0:10:01who'd already had an alarm system fitted to his home by 24/7,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05a reputable company with no connection to Pentagon.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08It came with a monitoring service, which meant the alarm
0:10:08 > 0:10:12would automatically dial the company's hotline should there be a break in.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14So far, so secure.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18But a few months later, Graham received a visit from,
0:10:18 > 0:10:23you've guessed it, Harjit Kalian of Pentagon Security Systems.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27'In Graham's case, when originally approached by Pentagon,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30'they claimed to be from his existing security company, 24/7.'
0:10:30 > 0:10:34They claimed they were taking over the contract and maintenance of his alarm.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38'Unfortunately, he didn't make any checks or ask to see any ID,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41'he could have asked for a phone number and rung 24/7,'
0:10:41 > 0:10:43but he didn't.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46When they told me the system needed updating
0:10:46 > 0:10:48I accepted their word.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51'In hindsight, I should have been more careful.'
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Graham was duped by Pentagon Security Systems into replacing
0:10:55 > 0:10:59a perfectly good alarm with one that was about to cause him
0:10:59 > 0:11:03serious trouble - and cost him a huge amount of money.
0:11:03 > 0:11:09The initial figure was the best part of £3,000,
0:11:09 > 0:11:15for the installation of the alarm and the five year monitoring,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18which they'd taken over from 24/7.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20So, let's get this absolutely straight -
0:11:20 > 0:11:24this was a monitoring service which was meant to automatically
0:11:24 > 0:11:28call the Pentagon Security hotline only if a break-in occurred.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32But - surprise, surprise - Pentagon botched the installation
0:11:32 > 0:11:35so the system was actually dialling the hotline every few minutes.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39It was only when Graham received his phone bill that he realised
0:11:39 > 0:11:41something was seriously wrong.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45I queried with BT if there was a fault on the line
0:11:45 > 0:11:49and they traced it to the alarm system.
0:11:49 > 0:11:55I was ending up with a telephone bill 20 times my normal monthly bill.
0:11:55 > 0:12:01So Graham's usual £25 monthly phone bill had rocketed to over £500.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05And that's on top of the three grand he'd paid for the alarm.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09Unsurprisingly, Pentagon didn't return Graham's calls.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Now with an ever-growing number of victims,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17it seemed Kalian and Chopra's dodgy alarm business was unstoppable.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20But their luck was about to run out,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22as their victims started to fight back.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27In fact, so alarming was the mounting evidence against Kalian and Chopra,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Trading Standards decided to move in on the pair.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33'In 2008, having collected all the evidence,'
0:12:33 > 0:12:35we executed some warrants.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Those warrants were executed on their home and business properties,
0:12:38 > 0:12:43and we took away vast amounts of paperwork and computers, as well.
0:12:43 > 0:12:48The case against Kalian and Chopra was absolutely overwhelming.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51They were arrested and charged with 40 counts of fraud and theft
0:12:51 > 0:12:54totalling over £200,000.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59We brought these gentlemen to court and in the end they pleaded guilty.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Kalian received a four and a half year sentence for fraud and theft
0:13:03 > 0:13:07and Chopra received a two and a half year sentence, also for fraud and theft.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11We hope we've brought some closure to the victims of these people.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15It's been a very tough lesson for both Graham and Gwendolyne,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18but daughter Heather has some valuable advice for fighting back
0:13:18 > 0:13:20against these doorstep criminals.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22'Contact Trading Standards,'
0:13:22 > 0:13:26contact the police, contact anyone if you think your friend
0:13:26 > 0:13:30or relative is being ripped off by doorstep selling.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Ask to see some ID, to see who they're working for,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37take a telephone number, make a phone call.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39You can always ask them to come back at a later date.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42If you have any suspicions at all, don't let them into your home.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Still to come, the conniving conman who helped himself
0:13:48 > 0:13:53to thousands of pounds from generous churchgoers.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56As soon as he'd gone out, there were bells ringing
0:13:56 > 0:14:02that said, you know, "Deep down, I don't trust that guy."
0:14:05 > 0:14:07I've had an e-mail from Danielle,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10who's a Neighbourhood Watch secretary from the West Midlands.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Apparently, an elderly neighbour was recently burgled,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17but it seems the community got together to help gather evidence,
0:14:17 > 0:14:22so in the end the police were able to identify and charge the culprit.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Danielle writes that her neighbour now has CCTV in her home
0:14:25 > 0:14:28and, with everybody looking out for her welfare,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30it makes her feel a lot safer.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32I think it's a great idea, a great community idea,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36and, Danielle, thanks very much for letting us know.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40Now to find out how the residents of Blaby in Leicestershire are getting on
0:14:40 > 0:14:42as they continue their fight against crime.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50Since 2002, local volunteers have been working with the police
0:14:50 > 0:14:55to keep cold-calling conmen, rogue traders and doorstep criminals out of their community.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59And having won two national awards for their work,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01they clearly have the right approach.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Today, volunteer Christine Ainge has been talking
0:15:05 > 0:15:09local resident Alan Darton through the various aids they can supply
0:15:09 > 0:15:12to prevent him from becoming a victim.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Put those in the window, close to the front door.
0:15:16 > 0:15:17I know it's a bit hard
0:15:17 > 0:15:21and a bit blunt but you have to do it to get the message across.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- I agree with that.- Another thing we've got, Alan, is...
0:15:24 > 0:15:28- I don't know whether you've heard of Smart Water, have you?- Yes.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34All it consists of is a little vial of liquid.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36OK?
0:15:36 > 0:15:41Now, within there, that liquid contains its own unique DNA.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44All we do is, there's a tiny brush,
0:15:44 > 0:15:48and the idea is that you mark any of your items,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51just a tiny dot of this is sufficient.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55And when it's recovered, if it's recovered,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58the police use ultraviolet lights
0:15:58 > 0:16:02and they will detect if it's been marked with Smart Water,
0:16:02 > 0:16:08and if it is, ultimately they will identify who the property belongs to and it's returned.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11OK, Alan, I think that's covered everything.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14Is there anything you think might be useful for you?
0:16:14 > 0:16:16I think Smart Water and a chain on the door.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18That's excellent, no problem.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22But don't forget, check their identification.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25That's fine, thank you very much indeed.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28In addition to visits like these,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32the volunteers have been fighting back against doorstep crime
0:16:32 > 0:16:35by setting up No Cold-Calling Zones.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Since the No Cold-Calling Zone has been set up,
0:16:39 > 0:16:4395% of the residents have been really, really happy,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47they're happier in their homes, they feel much, much safer.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52This is a sticker that we ask our residents
0:16:52 > 0:16:55to put into their either front window or door,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and it tells doorstep people, "Don't call here,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01"because you're not welcome without a appointment."
0:17:01 > 0:17:04I expect the question on all our minds is,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07"How exactly do you go about setting up a No Cold-Calling Zone?"
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Is it something that any of us could do?
0:17:11 > 0:17:14The NCCZ is set up by the residents.
0:17:14 > 0:17:19The residents get together, they approach the police,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22parish council and district council,
0:17:22 > 0:17:27and then the group that will say yay or nay is actually Trading Standards.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Once a No Cold-Calling Zone has been agreed,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34then the next step is to put up the signs
0:17:34 > 0:17:39attached to lampposts, etc, to make sure cold-callers,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42doorstep sellers know that they are not welcome
0:17:42 > 0:17:47It's extremely visible, and there's no excuses whatsoever.
0:17:47 > 0:17:53One resident who's delighted to have the No Cold-Calling Zone is David Thompson.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Unfortunately, he knows exactly what it's like
0:17:56 > 0:17:59to be on the receiving end of doorstep crime
0:17:59 > 0:18:03after two distraction burglars came around posing as council workmen.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06One of them wanted to go to the toilet,
0:18:06 > 0:18:14so I let him in. I had some money in the kitchen in a plastic bag.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18So what did he do? He picked that up and put it in his pocket.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Now I don't let people
0:18:21 > 0:18:26come and do any jobs unless they've got ID.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31They put these signs up - that helps a good bit.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36I don't get so much people coming trying to get in.
0:18:36 > 0:18:42Another villager to have benefited from the volunteers' work is Sam Hetherington.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46Since this place has been officially a No Cold-Calling area,
0:18:46 > 0:18:51there's been less people come round touting or cold-calling.
0:18:51 > 0:18:56The Blaby volunteers are making an enormous difference to the people in their community.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59But, as Inspector Jon Brown from Leicester Police explains,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02the fight against doorstep crime is still ongoing.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Distraction burglary is a terrible crime.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10'The impact it can have can be devastating for victims'
0:19:10 > 0:19:17and that's why we must do all we can to catch and convict offenders.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Now, as well as your emails, you've not been shy
0:19:23 > 0:19:27about telling us face-to-face what you think about doorstep crime.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31When I hear that these sort of criminals are brought to justice,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35I'm relieved, I hope that they learn their lessons,
0:19:35 > 0:19:39and it's good that they are and they need to be made an example of.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41They need to be severely punished.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43If someone knocks on my door uninvited
0:19:43 > 0:19:47depending on the time of day, I will either not answer it,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51or I will put the chain on and say, "No, thank you."
0:19:51 > 0:19:56Remember the clip we saw earlier, of Detective Constable Leigh Bickerdyke?
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Well, we've been to meet her and find out the whole story
0:19:59 > 0:20:03about a conman who went to extraordinary lengths to rip off consumers.
0:20:03 > 0:20:08Thanks to Leigh and her team at Gloucestershire Police, the crook got his just desserts.
0:20:10 > 0:20:1325-year-old Mark Rhodes was a doorstep criminal
0:20:13 > 0:20:16who travelled the UK, carrying out dozens of offences
0:20:16 > 0:20:19between 2007 and 2009 -
0:20:19 > 0:20:22and his victims all had something in common.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27Mark Rhodes predominantly preyed on people who had strong...
0:20:27 > 0:20:31community links with the local churches and parishes.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34It was mainly the Christian faith that he would target,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37and use their charitable nature to his gain.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47In fact, his unholy activities led police to dub Rhodes "the church conman".
0:20:47 > 0:20:51One such target was retired vicar Stuart Baxter,
0:20:51 > 0:20:56who was relaxing at his Derbyshire home in March 2009 when the doorbell rang.
0:20:57 > 0:21:03I went to the door and there was this very smartly dressed young man,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07who just said, "Are you the minister?"
0:21:07 > 0:21:09And I said, "Well, I am."
0:21:09 > 0:21:13- SCOTS ACCENT:- He says, "My name's Mark Rhodes, R-H-O-D-E-S.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17"I'm wondering if could come and have a word with you.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19"I've got myself into some awful trouble."
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Yes, you're right, he was Scottish.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Rhodes told Stuart that he'd just moved into the area
0:21:24 > 0:21:29and needed cash because he'd spent the last of his money on a tax disc for his car.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31As Stuart was a man of the cloth,
0:21:31 > 0:21:35Rhodes wondered if he could lend him some money until his next payday.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37It was a very plausible story.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40It was the sort of thing that I could imagine
0:21:40 > 0:21:43quite a number of young men getting themselves into
0:21:43 > 0:21:48if they've moved to a new area, if they've got, er, a new job,
0:21:48 > 0:21:52and, you know, they haven't been keeping a watch
0:21:52 > 0:21:55on how much money is coming in, how much is going out.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Compelled by his strong sense of charity,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Stuart gave Rhodes £25 in cash -
0:22:01 > 0:22:05but something still bothered the caring cleric.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07There were various points.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12I just thought to myself, "This bloke is conning me."
0:22:12 > 0:22:16As soon as he'd gone out, there were bells ringing
0:22:16 > 0:22:19that said, you know,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22"Deep down, I don't trust that guy."
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Rhodes eventually left, promising to return the money.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31But sure enough, it wasn't long before Stuart's hunch was proven correct.
0:22:31 > 0:22:36The following day, I got an e-mail from a friend of mine,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39whose brother-in-law is a superintendent in Derbyshire Police,
0:22:39 > 0:22:45giving me a very accurate description of the guy who had sat in this chair.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48And I was on the phone to the police straightaway.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Stuart discovered Mark Rhodes was the subject of a massive manhunt,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56involving 18 other police forces throughout the UK.
0:22:56 > 0:23:01He'd been conning dozens of elderly and vulnerable people out of cash,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05with amounts ranging from £10 to £750.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Rhodes was also wanted for a series of distraction burglaries
0:23:09 > 0:23:11and, most damning of all,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15some CCTV footage showed the lengths he would go to fleece his victims.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21The CCTV is one of a handful that we obtained from various police forces.
0:23:21 > 0:23:27It shows Mark Rhodes going to a local bank with one of his victims.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31He's actually, er, sort of, quite friendly with the victim.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34The victim then goes to the cashier and removes...
0:23:34 > 0:23:39I believe it was £350, and then gives it to Mr Rhodes.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42He writes her an IOU for the amount,
0:23:42 > 0:23:46and then leaves and has no intention to return that money to her.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51But it's quite shocking how you see the nature of him, and how friendly he is with the victim
0:23:51 > 0:23:54and how comfortable he appears in the footage.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59The evidence against Rhodes was overwhelming. The trouble was,
0:23:59 > 0:24:03once he'd carried out his doorstep cons, he just didn't like to hang around.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07During his crime spree, he travelled extensively throughout England,
0:24:07 > 0:24:08as you can see from the map here.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13Predominantly north to south and occasionally moving west to east.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17He would stay in and around the area of an offence,
0:24:17 > 0:24:21carry out his offences, before moving to another county.
0:24:21 > 0:24:26He would utilise local hotels and cheap establishments that he could stay in overnight.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30We were always 24 hours, 48 hours behind him.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33He was moving so quickly throughout the country that it was very hard
0:24:33 > 0:24:37for us actually to pin him down and actually locate where he was.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42By April 2009, Rhodes had left a trail of 70 crimes,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45totalling over £7,000, but police were able to fight back
0:24:45 > 0:24:48by making an appeal on national television.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53We were quite lucky that a lady who runs a B&B
0:24:53 > 0:24:57recognised his photo and immediately identified him
0:24:57 > 0:25:00as someone who had checked in that night and had rented a room from him.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04She believed his property was still in the room,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06and contacted police straightaway.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09When police swooped on the B&B and arrested him,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13the elusive Mark Rhodes quite simply didn't have a prayer.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17When he was arrested, surprisingly, he seemed quite relieved.
0:25:17 > 0:25:23I think, to him, it was quite a relief that he had actually been forced to stop.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26And maybe he wouldn't have stopped had an arrest not happened,
0:25:26 > 0:25:31and did show what I believe is some amount of genuine remorse for his crimes.
0:25:31 > 0:25:37Well, repentant or not, in June 2009, church conman Mark Rhodes
0:25:37 > 0:25:41was charged with burglary and fraud and sentenced to five years in prison.
0:25:45 > 0:25:50Sadly, whilst even divine intervention won't get Rhodes' victims their money back,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Reverend Stuart is staying positive.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57I think I will be a little bit more wary
0:25:57 > 0:26:01of people who just turn up on the doorstep.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04If somebody is genuinely in need, I want to help them.
0:26:04 > 0:26:12The whole of my life has been to try and be Christ-like to other people,
0:26:12 > 0:26:17and...you know, I'm not going to stop doing that now.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Now let me tell you about Pauline Rogers who says she lives in a remote part of Cumbria.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25She has signs saying...
0:26:29 > 0:26:32..as well as keeping low-energy light bulbs on at night on the front drive.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35She says this seems to be doing the trick completely.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Thanks very much for getting in touch, Pauline.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41We're here to fight back against doorstep criminals
0:26:41 > 0:26:45and we'd love to hear more of your stories about how you've stopped them ripping you off.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49You can always get in touch with us by contacting us on...
0:26:50 > 0:26:54I do hope you'll get in touch, cos we love your e-mails and letters.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59I hope you'll join us again next time. Until then, thanks very much for your company. Bye-bye.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd