0:00:02 > 0:00:04All over the UK, people are fighting back against crime which
0:00:04 > 0:00:09happens on our very doorsteps, and we are here to celebrate their valiant efforts.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15Our most vulnerable citizens may find themselves at the mercy
0:00:15 > 0:00:19of cold calling conmen and rip-off rogue traders, but there is no escape for the crooks,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22because you are working so hard to stop them,
0:00:22 > 0:00:24along with award-winning police
0:00:24 > 0:00:27and trading standards teams all over the UK.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30It is time to show these criminals the door.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35Today, I meet a retired carer who is trying to put her life back together again
0:00:35 > 0:00:38after a burglar tricked his way into her home.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Thankfully, the crook responsible is now behind bars.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45He swung my handbag at me and hit me in the face with it.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50- Just slapped you across the face? - Like that, and it made me lose balance.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Plus, the Cheshire police operation that ended a crime spree
0:00:54 > 0:00:57involving one of the county's most sinister burglars.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00We actually witnessed him committing an offence firsthand
0:01:00 > 0:01:06and we were able to then execute his arrest.
0:01:06 > 0:01:11And, I love this bit - we are on the road with hard-working trading standards and police officers
0:01:11 > 0:01:15in the Manchester area as they try to bring a gang of rogues to justice.
0:01:16 > 0:01:22Rogue traders need to be aware that these kind of operations are being carried out every week
0:01:22 > 0:01:25somewhere in Britain, so we are out there and we are looking for you.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Hello and welcome to the programme.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36As always, may I see a very sincere thank you to all you who have
0:01:36 > 0:01:41taken the time to write in or talk to us about your stories.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45We have been absolutely overwhelmed by all of your experiences and
0:01:45 > 0:01:48suggestions, and it is heartening to know that you want to keep in touch.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Because of you, we have many more stories to share
0:01:51 > 0:01:56about the heroic efforts you have made fighting back against doorstep crime.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Now it is time to meet a very brave lady,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03who did her best to stand up to a violent doorstep crook.
0:02:07 > 0:02:1077-year-old Sylvia once enjoyed an active social life,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14including regular trips with friends and family to the theatre and cinema.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19Now, thanks to a despicable distraction burglar by the name of William Vinson,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22she feels more like a prisoner in her own home.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26I wanted to find out how the actions of one criminal could have
0:02:26 > 0:02:28such a terrible effect on Sylvia's life.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34Sylvia, to set the scene so that I understand how this scam happened,
0:02:34 > 0:02:38how did you first come across this chap, where was he?
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Banging at the door of the lady across the other side of the road.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47I shouted across, "There would not be anyone there till the afternoon."
0:02:47 > 0:02:50- Was he aggressively banging on the door?- Yes.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55He said, "I will come and do yours." So I said to him, "My what?"
0:02:55 > 0:03:00"Your electricity," he said, "because with our readings
0:03:00 > 0:03:04and your readings are not the same," he said, "we think we owe you some money."
0:03:04 > 0:03:0759-year-old William Vinson was a burglar,
0:03:07 > 0:03:12who had already stolen thousands of pounds from dozens of elderly people throughout the south-east.
0:03:13 > 0:03:18He used fake ID and often posed as an official from the electricity board.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Now, of course, no longer is there such a thing as the electricity board,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25since 1990 our electricity has been supplied by private companies,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29so no-one should be taken in by that old trick.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Then he said, "Have you got your last electric bill?
0:03:32 > 0:03:36I said, "Yes, have just paid it. I will just get it for you."
0:03:36 > 0:03:41- Leaving him at the door.- And I never shut the door, which was stupid.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45Because I have always said, never leave your door open
0:03:45 > 0:03:48with someone on the step and I did exactly that.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51I went to get the bill, I turned around and he was sitting on my settee.
0:03:53 > 0:03:59Now that Vinson was in her house, he claimed she was due a £60 rebate
0:03:59 > 0:04:02and offered to pay it to her in cash there and then,
0:04:02 > 0:04:07except he needed some change. This was the next stage of his wicked con trick.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10To get this right, he give you two £50 notes.
0:04:10 > 0:04:16He put them on the coffee table and said, "Have you got £40?"
0:04:16 > 0:04:19I put my handbag down on the table, took my purse out
0:04:19 > 0:04:23and took the £40 out and gave it to him.
0:04:23 > 0:04:29With Sylvia's handbag in his sights, all Vinson had to do was
0:04:29 > 0:04:32distract her long enough to make his final devastating move.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37"He said, I have got to test some plugs." He said, "What is out there?"
0:04:37 > 0:04:40I said, "My kitchen." He said "That would be lovely,"
0:04:40 > 0:04:45so he went out there and took out this little screwdriver from his
0:04:45 > 0:04:48pocket and put it into the thing and said, "When that lights up, shout me.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51"And I'll do the other side."
0:04:51 > 0:04:57I stood there for a long time and kept waiting, and waiting,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and waiting and then I thought, "What is he up to?"
0:05:00 > 0:05:04I came in and he had my handbag in his hand and I walked towards him
0:05:04 > 0:05:07and said, "What the hell do you think you are doing?
0:05:07 > 0:05:08"Put that back."
0:05:08 > 0:05:16And he just laughed at me and I took another step towards him
0:05:16 > 0:05:19and he swung my handbag at me and hit me in the face with it.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24- Just slapped you across the face? - Yes, and it made me lose balance.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28He had left the front door open. And he ran out.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32Not only has Sylvia been the victim of a shocking assault and theft,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36but also the cowardly Vinson had stolen much more than her money.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40In my handbag I have loads of photographs of my husband,
0:05:40 > 0:05:42my mother, my wedding.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47And things like that. What hurt most was the photographs going.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52- Because these were of your husband, where the?- And I can't replace them. Sorry.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Sylvia still has a few family photographs,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59but those stolen by Vinson were the ones she really treasured the most,
0:05:59 > 0:06:04which is why she was not about to let him run away without a fight.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06What were you doing at this point?
0:06:07 > 0:06:12Getting myself steady from falling against the coffee table.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- I got up and chased him. - Instinctively you chased him?
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Yes, it was my money, he'd got, my stuff
0:06:19 > 0:06:23I only got the second bungalow and collapsed. I went down, with shock.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26My legs just gave way. I was down.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31To find a conman like that in your own sitting-room,
0:06:31 > 0:06:34riffling through your most precious things is one thing,
0:06:34 > 0:06:38to be stuck by him is simply appalling.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Sylvia obviously was petrified and in a state of shock.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45But at the end of it all, all she wanted with her precious photographs back.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52Brave Sylvia did the right thing by immediately calling the police,
0:06:52 > 0:06:56Detective Inspector Mark Johns was in charge of the investigation.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00It is traumatic enough to be the victim of burglary,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02she is elderly and vulnerable.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06In her own home, confronting her burglar, who's stealing her money
0:07:06 > 0:07:08must have been absolutely terrifying.
0:07:08 > 0:07:14Police discovered that Sylvia was just one of over 100 victims
0:07:14 > 0:07:16targeted by Vinson over a two-year period.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19With more burglaries reported every week,
0:07:19 > 0:07:24it was crucial that his campaign of damage and destruction be stopped and quickly.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28Fortunately it was not long before Mark and his team got the breakthrough they needed.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32We received a call at around 11:30 in the morning,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35of a distraction burglary taking place in Northamptonshire
0:07:35 > 0:07:37just north the Thames Valley area.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40We had detectives at the address within five minutes.
0:07:40 > 0:07:41Shortly after that,
0:07:41 > 0:07:46a black Ford Puma was located parked in a lay-by near the offence.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49In the car was William Vinson, on him he had the lady's handbag
0:07:49 > 0:07:56from the burglary and also £3,000 in cash and he was arrested for that offence.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58So Vinson had been caught red-handed,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01but when police interviewed the doorstepping criminal,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04remorse was the last thing on his mind.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08It was very clear that he had no consideration for the elderly
0:08:08 > 0:08:09victims he was targeting.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14He had no consideration for the sort of trail of destruction it would have on their personal lives.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18All he was concentrating on was getting into the house,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20befriending them and stealing money.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23He had no consideration of what would happen after he left.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28Sylvia has really struggled to put Vinson's burglary in the past.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34I don't trust anybody. Nobody at all.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38Well, that is a lie, I trust my friends but I do not trust men.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42I have to get in before it starts getting dusk, I have
0:08:42 > 0:08:47my doors locked all the time and I do not go out at night at all, ever.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52I used to love going to the theatre and the cinema and parties,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55and all things like that. I feel like a prisoner.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01At least you can take comfort in the fact that in 2012 William Vinson
0:09:01 > 0:09:07was found guilty of more than 100 burglaries and jailed for 9 years.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09That is a good sentence, I am very pleased with that.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13But I am very pleased with is that we went back to 101 victims
0:09:13 > 0:09:16and their families and tell them that we have caught and sentenced
0:09:16 > 0:09:19the person who committed the burglaries and stole their money.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22How did you feel when he eventually got nine years?
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Thrilled to bits. I could have gone and hugged the judge.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29I was really thrilled about it, I thought,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33"No, for nine years he will not be able to do it to someone else."
0:09:33 > 0:09:37It certainly is a relief to know that William Vinson got his just deserts.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44Still to come, how Cheshire police brought one of the county's
0:09:44 > 0:09:47most wanted distraction burglars to justice.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50They have no idea the sort of impact these offences may have,
0:09:50 > 0:09:54ultimately we are talking about frail, elderly people who
0:09:54 > 0:09:58an offence like this may actually turn out to be far more serious.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Let's go straight on and meet a hard-working trading standards
0:10:06 > 0:10:08team with a very busy day ahead of them.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11They are trying to tackle doorstep crime head-on.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Overall, crime in Trafford in Greater Manchester
0:10:19 > 0:10:21has fallen by 12% in the last year.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25But residents must still be on their guard against cold calling conmen.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Julia Bentley of Trafford Trading Standards is one of those
0:10:29 > 0:10:32fighting back against rogue traders alongside police.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37The message to the traders out there who are aiming to
0:10:37 > 0:10:41rip off people, the message is that we at Trafford Trading Standards,
0:10:41 > 0:10:46and that is every officer within the division are prepared to go the extra mile
0:10:46 > 0:10:51and do whatever we have to stamp out rogue traders in Trafford
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and we would like to let them know that it will not be tolerated here.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Today is Rogue Trader Day,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59a monthly operation that targets all trade vehicles
0:10:59 > 0:11:03and any suspect drivers, using numberplate recognition technology.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06In the car park just off the main road police are stopping
0:11:06 > 0:11:12and checking the details of hundreds of vehicles with the aim of weeding out dodgy tradespeople.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16What you see behind me at the moment is a partnership initiative
0:11:16 > 0:11:20to deal with rogue traders, rogue builders. We have a voter here,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24we have the benefit fraud team, so we're looking
0:11:24 > 0:11:29at identifying those offenders who primarily target vulnerable people.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33They go knocking on doors cold calling.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38Today, Julia is working closely with Greater Manchester Police.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41She is talking to police in hoping to find a particular gang
0:11:41 > 0:11:44who are responsible for a string of rip-offs in the area.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Currently we are looking for a gang of gardeners who
0:11:47 > 0:11:49committed three crimes that we know of.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53One concerned an older lady who was walking home from the shops.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57She was approached by the man in a white fan who
0:11:57 > 0:12:01intimated that he was working on behalf of her normal gardener.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05She agreed to have some work done and he met her at her house.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08There was a bit of work done, she give him money upfront
0:12:08 > 0:12:12and after that he just went.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15As soon as he had cash in his pocket he disappeared.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18They tend to come into an inner, do a few jobs and leave the area,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21which is why they are so difficult to find.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26Those dodgy gardeners have scammed £350 from at least three residents,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29so fingers crossed that Julia takes lucky today.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32While Rogue Trader Day will hopefully provide fresh
0:12:32 > 0:12:35intelligence on any criminals operating in the area,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39it enables Julia to pass on valuable information to
0:12:39 > 0:12:41the majority of traders who do a good job.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45The best part is the opportunity to speak to traders,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49to do a bit of education from their point of view, to protect them
0:12:49 > 0:12:51and make sure they are complying with the law.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54It is always a good opportunity to do that.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Julia is keen to make sure that traders are aware of the statutory
0:12:58 > 0:13:02cooling off period for products and services sold in people's homes.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06We all have the right to cancel an agreement within seven days and get our money back.
0:13:06 > 0:13:11This is what you are supposed to give them, and what it is aimed at
0:13:11 > 0:13:14is the dodgy traders will go into an old lady's house
0:13:14 > 0:13:17and talk her into having work done immediately.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20It is to give them some breathing space.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23We don't do door to door anyway.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26It does not matter, you are supposed to give your consumers notice of right to cancel.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30This is part of an ongoing educational process not only for consumers
0:13:30 > 0:13:33to get them to come forward and mention what is happening to them,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36but also to educate traders, because the Government
0:13:36 > 0:13:40bring in legislation but do not do a lot to publicise it, so some
0:13:40 > 0:13:43of the good guys are falling foul of it as well as the bad guys.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48All they need is to be told about it and most of them will take it up.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52It is now 1pm, and with no sign yet of the crooked gardener's van
0:13:52 > 0:13:57Julia sets off with officer James Bateman to see if they can catch
0:13:57 > 0:14:00other traders in the act on the streets of Trafford.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05We will find out how they get on with their search a little later.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Here was yet another example of doorstep crime.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Hello, Gloria.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16I am Vincent. My mother was the victim of doorstep crime.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Even though the criminal has been brought to justice, I would like
0:14:21 > 0:14:27to tell my story to make sure that other people do not get taken in.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Vincent, thank you for that.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31It turns out that the crook responsible was
0:14:31 > 0:14:34one of the country's most wanted men at one time.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Thankfully he has been put behind bars.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42We have found out how Cheshire police put an end to his campaign of doorstep crime.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Between June and September 2010,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51officers noticed a surge in doorstep crime.
0:14:51 > 0:14:5429 distraction burglaries in just three months.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59Descriptions and reports suggested that many of these were carried
0:14:59 > 0:15:03out by the same offenders and the police were keen to investigate.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Detective Sergeant Mike Ankers led the team who eventually arrested
0:15:07 > 0:15:10a man named Crimestopper's most wanted list,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14published by the charity which appeals for the whereabouts
0:15:14 > 0:15:16of suspects sought by police forces across the UK.
0:15:16 > 0:15:22The victims that were being targeted where very similar. Elderly people.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25The addresses that they were targeting were very
0:15:25 > 0:15:30indicative of elderly residents. They are well drilled in what they do
0:15:30 > 0:15:31and they know who the victims are.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Not only were the crooks targeting similar types of victims,
0:15:35 > 0:15:40but also using a tried and tested formula to gain entry to their homes.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43The distraction burglaries were all similar in nature,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46they were "Water Board" distraction offences where the offender
0:15:46 > 0:15:52would distract the occupant by saying that they were from the water board.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58So understanding that this rise in crime had occurred,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01we set about trying to investigate it.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Of course, we mostly know there is no such thing
0:16:05 > 0:16:08as the National Water Board any more,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11following the privatisation in 1989.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14If anyone knocks on your door claiming that's where they're from,
0:16:14 > 0:16:16you should take care.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Telephone your regional water supplier immediately
0:16:19 > 0:16:22and check whether they have sent any operatives to your area.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28Detective Sergeant Ankers and his team tried really hard
0:16:28 > 0:16:32to establish who was committing the diabolical burglaries.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36In the early stages, we were not aware of who was responsible for them.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41We look to interrogate our own intelligence systems
0:16:41 > 0:16:43that we have at our disposal.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Whilst doing that, we also looked at descriptions,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51the witness evidence, of previous offences that occurred.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Really, it's a matter of marrying up the two.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57We cross-refer from the intelligence systems with what hard evidence we have.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02And, from those, John Purcell became a target.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Simply, he met the criteria of offender we were looking for
0:17:06 > 0:17:08and also the description, as well.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13All the witness descriptions and police evidence
0:17:13 > 0:17:16pointed towards 21-year-old John Purcell,
0:17:16 > 0:17:20who was already known to the police for driving while disqualified.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23With the evidence stacked against him,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25the police mounted a surveillance operation.
0:17:25 > 0:17:30It turned out that his next victim was 93-year-old Bernice Heaney.
0:17:30 > 0:17:36She didn't wish to take part, but her stepson Vincent is very keen to share her story.
0:17:36 > 0:17:43I got a phone call to say that my stepmother had been robbed
0:17:43 > 0:17:46and she'd lost her money and the people had gone.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51Of course, straight away, I went down there
0:17:51 > 0:17:54and found that she'd actually been conned.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Some gentleman had knocked the door and told her
0:17:57 > 0:18:00he was from the Water Board.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05And that he wanted to turn her tap on, because they had damaged
0:18:05 > 0:18:10the water mains in the road and they had to drain it off.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12And she opened the door for him.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15He came in and she didn't close the door behind him.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20While John Purcell kept Bernice distracted in the kitchen,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22two accomplices let themselves in
0:18:22 > 0:18:24and stole £400 cash from her purse.
0:18:24 > 0:18:29By the time she realised what had happened, the gang were long gone.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Well, I was obviously very shocked.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Of course, when I got there, she was terribly upset.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40She was very nervous
0:18:40 > 0:18:44and blamed herself entirely for allowing the people to come in.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50And, er, she was in a very upset state.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53They have no idea the impact these offences may have.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58Ultimately, we are talking about frail, elderly people that, you know,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01an offence like this might actually turn out to be far more serious.
0:19:01 > 0:19:07I still can't understand how somebody can do that
0:19:07 > 0:19:12to such an old person, it just isn't in my way of thinking at all.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15I can't accept that somebody like that is in the world,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17that can actually do it.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20As Vincent rightly says,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Purcell and his accomplices were the lowest of low.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26But the good news is that DS Ankers
0:19:26 > 0:19:29and his team from Cheshire Police were watching their every move.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33We set up a covert operation.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37That basically entailed setting up a surveillance operation
0:19:37 > 0:19:42with a specific, specially trained unit to follow and to capture
0:19:42 > 0:19:46all his movements and see who he was associating with.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50That clearly gave us other suspects within the investigation.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55Ultimately, that also resulted in a successful surveillance operation,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59where we witnessed him committing an offence first-hand.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Having followed the gang as they carried out their crime,
0:20:02 > 0:20:06police now had the evidence they needed.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10But John Purcell and his accomplices slipped through the net.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Fortunately, the surveillance operation was not the only technique
0:20:13 > 0:20:17available to the police to bring the rogues to justice.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22Running alongside our operation, we were able to utilise the UK's most-wanted list.
0:20:22 > 0:20:28That meant putting his face, his name out there in a public forum
0:20:28 > 0:20:32to make people aware he was wanted, the police were after him.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36What it does is create pressure on the individual, the wanted person,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39and, in this case, ultimately, he contacted us and handed himself in.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42On 25th January, 2012,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46John Purcell was sentenced to 32 months in prison for burglary.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49His accomplices, I'm afraid, still at large,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53but, for Vincent and Bernice, a weight has been lifted.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57The Cheshire Police are my stepmother's heroes.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01The fact that she can now feel a lot confident
0:21:01 > 0:21:06that they're locked away and it means that she can relax
0:21:06 > 0:21:11and not be quite as worried as she has been in the past 12 months.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13I wouldn't consider myself a hero.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I'm incredibly proud of the work I've done,
0:21:16 > 0:21:22and also the work of the team, that ultimately resulted in his arrest
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and him being put behind bars to stop further victims of crime.
0:21:25 > 0:21:30And to add a little bit of reassurance to the community and the residents of Cheshire.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Bernice may think of them as heroes,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36but the officers are more modest about their efforts.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40DS Ankers and his team continue to seek out John Purcell's accomplices
0:21:40 > 0:21:44and they're determined to stamp out doorstep crime in Cheshire.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48I hope this case of John Purcell acts as a message to those people
0:21:48 > 0:21:51that seek to target the vulnerable and the frail.
0:21:51 > 0:21:56The police will stop at nothing to eradicate these offences taking place.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00We have highly trained and skilled officers that will follow you,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04that will get that evidence to prevent you from doing these offences again
0:22:04 > 0:22:07and we will make sure that you end up behind bars.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Once again may I say how much we enjoy reading your letters and e-mails.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19They are absolutely essential to beating doorstep crime.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23We've heard from Linda Tucker by e-mail and she says
0:22:23 > 0:22:26if she ever gets cold callers she simply says, "
0:22:26 > 0:22:31"Sorry, I only rent this property and I'll speak to the landlord."
0:22:31 > 0:22:34She says they run from her front door and, apparently, it works every single time,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37so thanks very much for that tip, Linda.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Now let's catch up with trading-standards officer Julia Bentley
0:22:41 > 0:22:43as she continues her work in Trafford.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48It's the monthly rogue-trader day in Greater Manchester
0:22:48 > 0:22:53and the police continue to check commercial vehicles diverted to a local car park.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57Meanwhile, Julia Bentley, of Trafford Trading Standards, is on patrol,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01along with officer James Bateman, hoping to catch rogues in the act.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05She's particularly keen to catch up with a gang of dodgy gardeners,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08who have been ripping off elderly residents for hundreds of pounds.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11What we're doing now is we'll just drive round the streets
0:23:11 > 0:23:15and just have a look and see who's having work done,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18whether there are - we always say white-van men -
0:23:18 > 0:23:22but, anyone that's having gardening work done,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25roofing work done, so we'll chat to the traders.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29It's not long before Julia spots builders at work.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32The question is - are they bona fide? Time to investigate.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37It's a rogue-trader day. We're here, there and everywhere. We just want to speak to people
0:23:37 > 0:23:38doing work on people's houses.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41There are particular trades rogue traders stick to,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44such as roofing and gardening
0:23:44 > 0:23:50and roofers in particular do feel they are tarred with the same brush.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53They are absolutely sick to death of people like this
0:23:53 > 0:23:59and they're angry that their profession is dragged down with the rest of the dodgy roofers.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Okey-doke. That's lovely. Thank you.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06As it turns out, these builders are quite above board.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09So Julia's search for rogue traders continues,
0:24:09 > 0:24:14in particular, the gang of gardeners who have been conning their way around the North West.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18She's also keen to build good relationships with legitimate traders.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22We're just having a chat with people having work done on their houses.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24- Is it all right to have a chat with you?- Yes.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- We've just after the cowboys today.- I never ask for money.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29You don't ask for money upfront, whereas the people
0:24:29 > 0:24:34we're looking at are the ones who tend to take the money upfront.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37- Go the bank and gone. - That's it exactly.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40It's nice to be able to speak to them to give them the message
0:24:40 > 0:24:42we are out there trying to catch the cowboys.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44- You don't ask for any money? - Not till the job's done.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48- And they're all happy with the work that's been done?- Yes.
0:24:48 > 0:24:49That's brilliant, isn't it?
0:24:49 > 0:24:53- Obviously, you just do business by word of mouth, you don't advertise? - No.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55- Have you ever had to advertise?- No.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59It's also nice to educate them in the legislation
0:24:59 > 0:25:05that they are bound by and speak to residents where possible. That's always good.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07- Thank you very much.- All right. - Nice to meet you.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- Bye-bye.- All right.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Many householders are at work when Julia calls,
0:25:14 > 0:25:20but she makes every effort to check that they are satisfied customers.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Back at the car park, rogue-trader day is coming to an end.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29More than 100 vehicles have been stopped and checked.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Details have been taken of 42 traders for further inspection
0:25:33 > 0:25:35and, best of all, a vital message is being sent
0:25:35 > 0:25:40to dishonest traders that they are just not welcome here.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44We've not actually come across any rogue builders or traders as such,
0:25:44 > 0:25:49but, overall, the partners have combined together
0:25:49 > 0:25:52and traffic officers have come up with a number of offences
0:25:52 > 0:25:55and three or four vehicles have been seized.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59Julia has been unable to catch the dodgy gardeners today,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03but the Trafford trading-standards team continue their fight
0:26:03 > 0:26:05against rogues and con artists in Trafford.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Rogue traders need to be aware that these kind of operations are carried out
0:26:08 > 0:26:10every week somewhere in Britain
0:26:10 > 0:26:12and it isn't something that is going to stop.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16It isn't something that will go away, so we are out there
0:26:16 > 0:26:17and we are looking for you.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Before we go, an e-mail from Mick Perring,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25who was a police officer for more than 30 years.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28His simple point is that the only people you should let into your home
0:26:28 > 0:26:32are those whom you know - neighbours friends or relatives.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35If you don't know them, do not allow them in.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39That's a very timely reminder, so thanks for that. Very good advice.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43We're here to fight back against doorstep criminals
0:26:43 > 0:26:45and we'd really love to hear more
0:26:45 > 0:26:47about how you have stopped them ripping you off.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52You can always find the details about how to reach us at...
0:26:52 > 0:26:54So may I say thank you for your company
0:26:54 > 0:26:56and I hope you'll join me again next time.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd