0:00:02 > 0:00:07Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28In this series, I'll be investigating the criminals
0:00:28 > 0:00:31who make their money at your expense.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34And I'm going to show you how not to get ripped off.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Today on Fake Britain.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Fake, hope and charity.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42The conmen taking advantage of British generosity.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47We've been losing about 50 tons a week to these bogus collectors and these thieves.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50It's been estimated millions of pounds have been made by these criminal gangs.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53The fake house rigged to catch criminals.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01The growing trend of people faking their own death for insurance claims.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Mac was a good salesman.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08He was a good talker. And a big con man.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11The chip shops shifting fake fish
0:01:11 > 0:01:14and the perils of not knowing what you're eating.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Without instant medical assistance, I probably would have died.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33Stealing from a charity is one of the most despicable crimes imaginable,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36and these crooks are taking incredible risks
0:01:36 > 0:01:38for a few pounds' worth of clothes.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43And it doesn't stop there. Charity collection agency Clothes Aid
0:01:43 > 0:01:45have also been the victim of theft.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Today, they're out on the streets collecting charity bags
0:01:48 > 0:01:51that members of the public have left out for them.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57The idea is simple, the charities put a bag through your door,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00you leave out unwanted clothes, they come and collect it,
0:02:00 > 0:02:02sell the clothes, and the proceeds go to charity.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07And clothes recycling is big business.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11With each ton of clothes being worth up to £80 for the charity,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15clothes recycling is making £200 million each year
0:02:15 > 0:02:16across the whole industry.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20But business manager Michael Lomotey is worried.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22There's not as many bags as we'd expect to be out,
0:02:22 > 0:02:27which indicates that probably someone's gone round before us and taken those bags,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29which is the problem that we're out here to look at.
0:02:29 > 0:02:35Criminals across the UK have been carrying out fake charity collections
0:02:35 > 0:02:38and stealing the bags left out for genuine charities
0:02:38 > 0:02:41before they get a chance to collect them.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44We've been driving round for almost 40 minutes
0:02:44 > 0:02:46and we've only picked up a handful of bags,
0:02:46 > 0:02:50whereas normally we could get half a ton in a morning.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53The second-hand textile market has virtually doubled
0:02:53 > 0:02:54in the last 12 months,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57so there's huge value to the clothes you leave on your doorstep.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00But where there's money to be made, the fakers follow,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and fake collections are having an enormous impact
0:03:03 > 0:03:05on charities across Britain.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08We've been losing about 50 tons a week
0:03:08 > 0:03:10to these bogus collectors and these thieves.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Each week. It's probably £200,000 to our charity partners.
0:03:14 > 0:03:15But we're not alone.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Everybody in the sector is being affected
0:03:18 > 0:03:20and some people have estimated millions of pounds
0:03:20 > 0:03:23have been made by these criminal gangs.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27But it's not only fake collections that are causing concern,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30the fakers are also faking the charity bags themselves
0:03:30 > 0:03:33and impersonating genuine charities.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37In Blackpool, the North West Air Ambulance got word that
0:03:37 > 0:03:41that was exactly what was happening to them.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44They've taken to producing a leaflet,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46which looks very good,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48it looks very realistic
0:03:48 > 0:03:50but it's a complete fraud
0:03:50 > 0:03:53and the North West public are being duped
0:03:53 > 0:03:56into thinking they're donating to the charity,
0:03:56 > 0:03:57when, in fact, they're not.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02They decided to secretly film the people collecting the bags,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06to catch them in the act and captured this footage
0:04:06 > 0:04:11of a man casually loading up his own unmarked van with people's donations.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14The people that are doing this don't appear to have a conscience.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18They may perceive that it's a victimless crime,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20it's only old clothes that they're stealing,
0:04:20 > 0:04:21but obviously they're aware
0:04:21 > 0:04:23how lucrative the recycling operation is.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27How it affects us is, we're particularly saddened by it,
0:04:27 > 0:04:29cos they're actually stealing money
0:04:29 > 0:04:31that's been genuinely donated, in kind,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33to the North West Air Ambulance.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36It's being removed from us.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39For charities like the North West Air Ambulance,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42charitable giving is their only way of staying operational
0:04:42 > 0:04:46and every income stream they have is vital.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I think this crime's on the increase
0:04:49 > 0:04:52because we're not able to stem the flow.
0:04:52 > 0:04:57And what it means for us is, we may be losing £100,000 this year
0:04:57 > 0:04:58but what about next year?
0:04:58 > 0:05:01It's the tip of the iceberg for us.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04We're committed to trying to stop it
0:05:04 > 0:05:08but physically being able to seems beyond our reach.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Later, we meet the men who tried to fool the public by faking
0:05:11 > 0:05:14a well-known cancer charity's bags.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18It looked genuine, it really did look genuine.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Fish and chips - it's a British favourite
0:05:28 > 0:05:31and when it comes to what we eat
0:05:31 > 0:05:32we all expect to get what we're paying for.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35But now that the fakers have got hold of it
0:05:35 > 0:05:38even a good old plate of fish and chips isn't safe.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Stefano Mariani of Salford University
0:05:41 > 0:05:44conducted a survey across Britain
0:05:44 > 0:05:48that illustrates just how widespread fish fakery has become.
0:05:48 > 0:05:54In the UK we found that 7% of about 100 samples that we screened
0:05:54 > 0:05:56were mislabelled.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Stefano's survey was one of the first to flag up
0:05:59 > 0:06:02the amount of mislabelling going on in the fish industry,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and with the cheaper cuts of fish costing roughly half
0:06:05 > 0:06:09what you would expect to pay for the premium product cod,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11for him the benefit for the fakers is clear.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16There's no scientific proof that at the moment
0:06:16 > 0:06:22the cases of mislabelling are clearly making certain people rich,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24but this doesn't mean that it's not exactly what's happening.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28I believe that it shouldn't happen,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30I believe that everything you buy
0:06:30 > 0:06:34should be exactly what it says on the tin.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Increasingly, restaurants with fish on the menu
0:06:37 > 0:06:40now don't specify which fish they're serving.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42But for Luke Marvell,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44a visit to a pub he used to work in
0:06:44 > 0:06:45highlighted the dangers
0:06:45 > 0:06:47of not knowing what you're eating.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49We both decided to order fish and chips.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53When I worked there, the fish was haddock and all hand-battered.
0:06:53 > 0:06:54So, we chose to have that.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57It was good produce and I'd enjoyed it before.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59So, it wasn't something completely new to me.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01But Luke didn't realise,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03since he worked there
0:07:03 > 0:07:05the fish had been changed
0:07:05 > 0:07:07and was no longer haddock.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11I instantly knew something was wrong within a mouthful.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14There was an instant reaction, and I couldn't breathe.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17My face began to itch and it went from there.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Luke's throat began to swell,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23but having never had an experience like this before,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27he had absolutely no idea what was wrong with him.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29At first I thought I was choking on a bit of food,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31I'll get a glass of water,
0:07:31 > 0:07:32and it didn't help
0:07:32 > 0:07:34cos I couldn't swallow it.
0:07:34 > 0:07:39It was like a stinging sensation, like a stinging nettle
0:07:39 > 0:07:43all across my head and my lips apparently went blue.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Luke had suffered a massive allergic reaction
0:07:47 > 0:07:48so his friend called an ambulance.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Within ten minutes of eating the fish,
0:07:51 > 0:07:52he was on his way to hospital,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54where he was pumped full of adrenalin
0:07:54 > 0:07:57to make the reaction subside.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02Anaphylactic shock, so people can, unfortunately, die from it
0:08:02 > 0:08:04if it's not treated quickly enough.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08It was very much a life-and-death situation, really.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13Without instant medical assistance, I probably would have died.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Luke was soon referred to an allergy consultant
0:08:16 > 0:08:19to find out what it was that he had reacted to so violently.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23I went into the pub and asked what the fish was,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26and they had to check and read it
0:08:26 > 0:08:28off the box cos they had no idea.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31I emailed the name to my allergy consultant,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34because she'd never heard of it.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39Luke found out that the name of the fish he'd eaten was pangasius,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42a type of catfish from Vietnam.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44I got a bit of the fish,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46took it into the hospital
0:08:46 > 0:08:49went through the system of putting little dabs on your arms
0:08:49 > 0:08:51and within ten seconds of it
0:08:51 > 0:08:55touching my skin, a lump came up on my arm so we knew it was that.
0:08:55 > 0:09:00Luke now has to carry an EpiPen with him wherever he goes.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Once you've had one allergic reaction,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06the second one can be twice as severe,
0:09:06 > 0:09:11so, it is a case of being careful about where and what I eat.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15At the moment, if you ask for fish in a fish and chip shop
0:09:15 > 0:09:18they can serve you any fish they like,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21so, Luke's assumption that he would receive haddock was wrong.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24However, if you specifically ask for a certain species
0:09:24 > 0:09:28then that must be what is supplied.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34In North Wales, the Trading Standards team had become aware
0:09:34 > 0:09:36that fish were being mis-sold in their area,
0:09:36 > 0:09:42so they decided to conduct a survey into fish mislabelling.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Mark Brierley is off to take samples from fish and chip shops around Rhyl.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Can I have a piece of cod, please?
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Mark specifically asks for a piece of cod at each shop,
0:09:57 > 0:09:58so that when it's tested,
0:09:58 > 0:10:03they can tell the fakers are trying to supply a different fish instead.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05I'm here from Trading Standards.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09All it is, is, we're at the moment just doing routine samples for fish.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13- OK.- So, if I can, is just split this into three and bag it somewhere.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Once Mark reveals who he is, he divides the sample into three,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22offers one to the shop and keeps two for himself.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28One goes off to the public analyst and he then looks at it
0:10:28 > 0:10:30to see if it is or it isn't cod.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36There's just one more shop to visit before Mark calls it a day.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40Have you got any cod? Got any cod?
0:10:40 > 0:10:43- Yes.- Can I have a piece of cod, please?
0:10:43 > 0:10:44Ta.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48- Thank you very much.- Ta very much.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50- You OK?- Right, yep, yep.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54From Trading Standards. Manager or owner available?
0:10:54 > 0:10:57And it looks like this shop might already have a problem.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59The one piece of cod that I bought,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02I've split it into three halves, into three parts
0:11:02 > 0:11:05- I don't think it's cod. It's haddock.- I asked for cod.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08That's cod, isn't it?
0:11:08 > 0:11:12- No, it's haddock.- OK, no problem.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15I'll make a note on here.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- It might... Sometimes they do sell us cod.- OK.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23It's not looking good, but Mark will have to wait to find out
0:11:23 > 0:11:27whether this fish is a fake, as all the samples from the shops
0:11:27 > 0:11:30are now sent off to the analyst.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Kevin Jones from Wrexham Trading Standards has been
0:11:33 > 0:11:36coordinating the survey across the whole of north Wales.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38The public have the right
0:11:38 > 0:11:42to be given what they ask for, in terms of any food product.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45You ask for cod, that's what you should be given.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47If cod isn't available or if they are serving haddock,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50or another variety of fish, the customer should be told,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53"Well, you asked for cod and chips, but we've got haddock,"
0:11:53 > 0:11:55and it gives the customer the choice then to say,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59"No, I prefer to have cod, I'll go elsewhere for my takeaway meal."
0:11:59 > 0:12:01All samples taken by Trading Standards
0:12:01 > 0:12:03from fish and chip shops
0:12:03 > 0:12:06have a piece of their DNA extracted
0:12:06 > 0:12:10and compared against a database of known fish species.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14With six out of the seven shops in Mark's area having supplied cod,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17he's now off to deliver the results to the final shop.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20- The result's come back in on the sample that we took.- Right.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22I don't know whether you remember,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- on the day there was a bit of confusion on the day, as well.- Yes.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28- Unfortunately, it has reported back as wrong.- Wrong?
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- Yeah.- What is it again?
0:12:31 > 0:12:36Well, from, when we picked it up, I'd asked for cod.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38- Yeah.- And it has come back as haddock.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40She did say, then you wrote it down, didn't you?
0:12:40 > 0:12:41You explained later on, yeah.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46Mark goes into their kitchen to discuss the fakery in more detail.
0:12:46 > 0:12:47Thank you very much.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Cos Jan did say it could have been haddock.
0:12:49 > 0:12:50She said it afterwards, though.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53That's the problem. I came in and I asked for a piece of cod.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57- Right, I see.- So, there was nothing said at the time, it could be cod, it could be haddock,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00it was just, yeah, fine, not a problem. Fish was served.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Then it was afterwards when it was...
0:13:03 > 0:13:06because of our supplier, it might be this or it might be that.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08So, if you hadn't said on the day,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10then I'd probably be looking at things differently,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13cos I'd be coming in and asking you more questions
0:13:13 > 0:13:14as to what had gone on.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Can I just get you to sign in the box for the notice?
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Fish and chip shop owners are finding that the price of cod is so high
0:13:23 > 0:13:26that it's difficult for them to keep supplying their customers
0:13:26 > 0:13:28with the premium-priced product.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31We can't get suppliers that have... They've...
0:13:31 > 0:13:35maybe have got cod, but the prices have gone so high in the markets
0:13:35 > 0:13:38that when they get it and they get it onto us,
0:13:38 > 0:13:40it's just not worth us selling the cod,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42because it's too expensive at the moment.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45So, that's why the haddock is slightly cheaper.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48This shop had been selling haddock instead of cod
0:13:48 > 0:13:50and were issued with a warning.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53And it looks like this issue is occurring across the whole
0:13:53 > 0:13:54of North Wales.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58The overall results were that across all six authorities,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01of the 42 samples taken, seven came back incorrectly
0:14:01 > 0:14:03which is around 16-17%.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05None of them were related to,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08for example, Vietnamese river cobbler,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11and other inferior species.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12Of the seven samples that came back wrong,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16when cod was asked for, haddock was delivered.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21British law states that customers should always get what they ask for
0:14:21 > 0:14:24and with food allergies increasingly common,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27it's clear that that law is there for a good reason.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Luke Marvell didn't know he had an allergy. What happened to him
0:14:31 > 0:14:33could happen to any of us.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37I occasionally eat fish and chips now, but I'm very careful.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40I don't eat it if I go to a restaurant.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42I still enjoy fish and chips
0:14:42 > 0:14:45but it's very much a case of I'll make it myself,
0:14:45 > 0:14:46so I know what's gone in it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57More and more people in Britain are trying to fake their own death
0:14:57 > 0:15:00and they're doing it for money.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Infamously, canoe man John Darwin tried and failed
0:15:04 > 0:15:09to get away with his £250,000 claim back in 2002,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13but the fakers keep trying and fake death claims
0:15:13 > 0:15:15are becoming increasingly common.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22In a quiet town in Kent, Anthony McErlean was hatching a devious plot
0:15:22 > 0:15:25to make a fake death claim of his own.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Anthony started his cover story early when he told local pub owners
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Anita and Kevin that he and his wife
0:15:31 > 0:15:34were planning a trip to Honduras.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Mac did come in here and say he'd got a problem with the bank
0:15:37 > 0:15:41and that him and Sonia were going out to Honduras
0:15:41 > 0:15:43to sell some land or property that she owned
0:15:43 > 0:15:49and then they would be back, but he was going out for six months.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53They left for their trip. What no-one realised
0:15:53 > 0:15:56was that this was part of an elaborate plan
0:15:56 > 0:15:58for Anthony to fake his own death.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01When news filtered back about what had happened,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Kent Police were amongst the first to hear the story.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07He left where they were staying early in the morning,
0:16:07 > 0:16:12maybe 4.30am, 5.00am, to go and photograph wildlife in the forest.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Um, he said about an hour into the journey, they had a puncture
0:16:16 > 0:16:20and, whilst he was mending the puncture, a lorry came along
0:16:20 > 0:16:22and ran him over.
0:16:22 > 0:16:28What actually happened was that Mr McErlean decided
0:16:28 > 0:16:32he was going to fake his own death to claim £500,000 insurance money.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37Anthony had bribed officials and bought genuine certificates
0:16:37 > 0:16:42to prove his death, but all the details on them were fake.
0:16:42 > 0:16:48He was able to obtain the necessary documentation -
0:16:48 > 0:16:52which was the death certificate, the burial certificate,
0:16:52 > 0:16:57witness statement of the accident, police report and doctor's report.
0:16:57 > 0:17:03All those items were sent to the insurance company in Glasgow.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Anthony then hacked into his wife's e-mail account
0:17:07 > 0:17:10and made contact with his insurance company in her name.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15All his contact with the insurance company was in his wife's name.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19He would sign letters. He would e-mail them
0:17:19 > 0:17:22but it would always be signed off as Sonia McErlean,
0:17:22 > 0:17:27so they thought they were dealing with the wife.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Despite all his best efforts,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Anthony had missed one crucial element - his passport.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36When the insurance company didn't receive it,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39along with the rest of the claim, they became suspicious,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43so referred the matter to John Saunders from Linden Claims,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46who investigate around 20 fake death claims a year
0:17:46 > 0:17:49and is accustomed to weeding out the fakers.
0:17:49 > 0:17:55In a real death claim, I'd expect to see someone's passport returned,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58cancelled by the British Embassy abroad, perhaps.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Or at least brought back to the UK.
0:18:01 > 0:18:07In a lot of death claims, where death is by road traffic accident,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11people often say it was stolen from the scene of the accident,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15which is an indication that perhaps all is not correct.
0:18:15 > 0:18:20I made a number of background enquiries
0:18:20 > 0:18:23and I actually met a relation of his in London,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26who appeared not to be aware of his death.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29It was a close relation, so I thought that was suspicious
0:18:29 > 0:18:35and the circumstances of the death didn't tie in. It didn't add up.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39But then, Anthony made another crucial error.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42When the matter was referred to the Insurance Fraud Bureau
0:18:42 > 0:18:45they used their resources and flagged up a glaring problem
0:18:45 > 0:18:47with the fake death claim.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Key to the McErlean case was that we knew
0:18:50 > 0:18:53that he'd taken out a motor insurance policy
0:18:53 > 0:18:56after the date at which it was alleged that he'd been killed.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58That just wasn't possible.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02With this evidence that the death had definitely been faked,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05the police in Kent took hold of the investigation.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Once we established he was alive,
0:19:09 > 0:19:14we then contacted the insurance company
0:19:14 > 0:19:17and obtained the documentation,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20which proved he'd made the claim.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22We submitted the documents for finger-printing
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and established his fingerprints were on the documents,
0:19:25 > 0:19:29which of course is an impossibility if you're dead.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32In the meantime, confident that his deception had worked,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Anthony returned to his home town.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39But he was still keen to keep his true identity secret.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Mac came into the pub one afternoon,
0:19:43 > 0:19:45and his appearance had totally changed.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49He'd grown his hair, grown a beard, he was tanned
0:19:49 > 0:19:53and I didn't even recognise him until he started talking
0:19:53 > 0:19:57and telling his stories, and then I realised who it was.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00I did ask him why he'd changed his appearance
0:20:00 > 0:20:04and he just laughed, and I thought, oh well,
0:20:04 > 0:20:08perhaps Sonia's left him and he's looking for somebody new.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11I just didn't know what he'd been doing or why.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16For John Saunders, it's extremely unusual for a person
0:20:16 > 0:20:18faking their own death to return to the UK,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and almost always spells the end of their fraud.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25People tend not to advertise, people might go down the pub
0:20:25 > 0:20:28and say how much they got from a travel insurance claim
0:20:28 > 0:20:31that was a fraud, but they don't go down the pub
0:20:31 > 0:20:33and say that they died the week before.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37With his address gained from the Insurance Fraud Bureau,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39and the fingerprint proof they needed,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Martin Bradbeer and his team
0:20:41 > 0:20:44descended on Anthony's home to arrest him.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49He was arrested at his home address in Petham near Canterbury
0:20:49 > 0:20:52and he straight away said,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55"It's me, I'm the man you're looking for, I did it."
0:20:55 > 0:21:00He said that he was 66, he didn't want to be destitute
0:21:00 > 0:21:04in his old age and he thought he needed half a million pounds.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08He thought this was the best way of going about getting it.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Anthony McErlean was found guilty of attempted fraud
0:21:12 > 0:21:15and was sentenced to six years in prison.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Often fraudsters make silly mistakes.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20They trip up over the smallest details.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24It's very, very difficult to effectively commit a fraud.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26When you're dealing with the Insurance Fraud Bureau,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28you know we'll find you.
0:21:28 > 0:21:35Mac was a good salesman, a good talker and a big con man.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47In Rosswell in Leeds, Jennifer and Malcolm Chapman
0:21:47 > 0:21:50were two people only too happy to give to charity.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55But they too were about to be deceived by the charity bag fakers.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58They had concerns when a Macmillan bag fell through their door.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05It had the Macmillan logo on the bag.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08It looked genuine. It really did look genuine.
0:22:08 > 0:22:13And the only thing that was different was the telephone number.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17It was an 0800 number and it looked similar to theirs,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20I can't remember exactly what it was,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22there was just maybe a digit changed on it.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25But the charity number was exactly the same.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27They'd used their charity number.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29And the bag looked genuine.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31It were genuine all right, definitely!
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Andy Greatorex from West Yorkshire Police
0:22:35 > 0:22:37had dealt with charity bag theft in the past,
0:22:37 > 0:22:42but this was the first he'd heard of people faking the bags themselves.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Members of the public had obviously received these flyers
0:22:45 > 0:22:48through their letterboxes,
0:22:48 > 0:22:53so it gave us ideal access to what the flyers were.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55And as you can see, they look very realistic.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57We've got the correct logo there.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00We've got the correct colouring.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02We've got the charity number.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05We've got the contact numbers, the 08 number
0:23:05 > 0:23:09and the email address, which is there as well.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Malcolm called the number on the bag
0:23:12 > 0:23:14but found that it didn't work.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16So he looked up Macmillan online
0:23:16 > 0:23:18to find their real number and get in touch with them.
0:23:18 > 0:23:24Macmillan said, when I phoned them that they had nothing.
0:23:24 > 0:23:25They didn't do bags
0:23:25 > 0:23:29and they wasn't doing anything in this area at the time.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31So I said then I would ring the police
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and they were going to ring the police as well.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36The police began investigating
0:23:36 > 0:23:40and soon enough they found the van they'd been looking for.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42We commenced a hotspot patrol in that area
0:23:42 > 0:23:45with the local neighbourhood policing teams.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49And lucky enough, they came across this vehicle
0:23:49 > 0:23:51as a routine stop-check.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53A Mercedes Sprinter van.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Inside it were two brothers, one of them being the owner of the company.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01A search of that vehicle recovered numerous bags.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Bin liners in the rear of that van
0:24:03 > 0:24:07with these leaflets attached.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11In the front of the van, again, numerous leaflets
0:24:11 > 0:24:14that were going to be distributed were also recovered.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16So they were both arrested
0:24:16 > 0:24:19in relation to fraud by false representation.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22The Liepins brothers were found guilty of fraud
0:24:22 > 0:24:25and each received a two-year suspended sentence,
0:24:25 > 0:24:31had to pay court costs and serve 300 hours of community service.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Macmillan Cancer is quite a world-renowned charity.
0:24:35 > 0:24:41It's like, in a sense, they're not only stealing from the charity,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43but it's got a secondary impact.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47They're actually taking money and funding from people
0:24:47 > 0:24:49who are suffering from a horrendous disease.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51I feel quite emotional at the moment,
0:24:51 > 0:24:55because they looked after my brother, did Macmillan nurses.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58It's a large amount of money,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01they're doing these charities out of.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03They shouldn't walk this earth.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08The Fundraising Standards Board are working with
0:25:08 > 0:25:12Trading Standards across the country to get the situation under control.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16Well, I think if a member of the public
0:25:16 > 0:25:19has decided to put some clothes out in a collection bag
0:25:19 > 0:25:22for a collection for a charity,
0:25:22 > 0:25:25it would be important that the member of the public realises
0:25:25 > 0:25:27that's actually real money.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30It's almost like putting a £20 note on the doorstep.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33And if you put a £20 note on the doorstep for somebody to collect,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35you'd probably want to make sure
0:25:35 > 0:25:36you knew who was going to collect it.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40In a further twist, now the fakers are setting up
0:25:40 > 0:25:42bogus charities of their own
0:25:42 > 0:25:45and keeping all the proceeds for themselves.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Alistair McClean has seen so many fake bags
0:25:48 > 0:25:51he now knows what to look out for.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53For me, the obvious differences between these
0:25:53 > 0:25:55are fairly conspicuous.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58No reference on this one about the charity.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02There's a mobile telephone number here and a Hotmail address,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04which is quite peculiar for a business.
0:26:04 > 0:26:09This one, a clear statement about the name of the charity,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12very conspicuous mark about the charity number.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16And if you turn over, on the Save The Children document,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20it's telling you when the collection is
0:26:20 > 0:26:22and it's telling you about a hotline.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24The first leaflet is clearly a fake.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27And with more and more charities springing up across the UK,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30this crime is now completely out of control.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34The police and Trading Standards are finding it increasingly difficult
0:26:34 > 0:26:36to catch the perpetrators.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40There's no doubt that charities are losing enormous sums of money.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44It's been estimated that it could be as much as £50 million a year
0:26:44 > 0:26:47that charities are losing, and not able to give to good causes.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51And in addition, that money is not actually being taken up
0:26:51 > 0:26:53by some private individual.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55It's going into the hands of criminals
0:26:55 > 0:26:58who are involved in some serious criminal activity.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59Involved in money laundering,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04So it's really serious criminal activities.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06For Malcolm and Jennifer,
0:27:06 > 0:27:12this experience has made them think twice about giving in this way.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14When charity bags come now, unfortunately,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16we put them in the bin.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20But for Alistair McClean and the Fundraising Standards Board,
0:27:20 > 0:27:22that's exactly what they're trying to avoid.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25There's no doubt this is a significant issue for the public,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28and I can understand the concerns about giving clothes
0:27:28 > 0:27:31that ultimately fall into the hands of criminals.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34But it's really important to please keep giving.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37This is a really important fundraising method for charities.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41There's been a substantial gain in the value of textiles,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43and charities are benefiting from that.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Sadly, some of that has been eroded by this criminal activity,
0:27:46 > 0:27:48but your work and your continued generosity
0:27:48 > 0:27:50is going to make a huge difference
0:27:50 > 0:27:53to the work of the charities that you support.
0:28:06 > 0:28:07In the world of Fake Britain,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10the victims are normally the people being deceived.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13But in one area of the country, that's being turned on its head,
0:28:13 > 0:28:19and it's the police using fakery to catch the criminals.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21In the burglary hot-spot areas of Birmingham,
0:28:21 > 0:28:23West Midlands Police have set up fake houses,
0:28:23 > 0:28:27which they call capture houses,
0:28:27 > 0:28:29rigged with state-of-the-art covert cameras...
0:28:29 > 0:28:32DOOR CLATTERS
0:28:32 > 0:28:34..designed to catch criminals in the act.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Sergeant Dave Keen heads up the mission.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50The cameras themselves can be put in any household device.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53Toasters, in the wall, in furniture.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Literally in anything.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58If you think how small these cameras are, you can put it anywhere.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00And that's what we do.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04Once the fake house is filled with cameras,
0:29:04 > 0:29:08Dave waits until he gets word that a burglary is taking place.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12When somebody enters the premises, they trigger a motion sensor.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15That motion sensor directs a message to a mobile phone,
0:29:15 > 0:29:19or several messages, to say that there's movement in the premises.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23What I can do then is dial into house cameras
0:29:23 > 0:29:27and then view what's going on straight away, in real time.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29See people burgling the house, grab their descriptions,
0:29:29 > 0:29:31obviously note them down,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34and at the same time, coordinate resources,
0:29:34 > 0:29:36by another phone or my radio, to go and arrest the people.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40When they trialled the scheme, Dave didn't have to wait long.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42CRASHING NOISES
0:29:46 > 0:29:49That was kitted up at 9am
0:29:49 > 0:29:53and broken into at about 2pm.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56So five hours. That's probably the shortest that we've had,
0:29:56 > 0:29:59but it just goes to show people are looking to target premises,
0:29:59 > 0:30:01and if you put it in the right place,
0:30:01 > 0:30:03you'll catch the right people.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05At Dave's command, police officers enter the flat.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08MUFFLED SHOUTS
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Police officers! > Stay where you are!
0:30:14 > 0:30:16The officers have been directed by me.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19I'm watching it live, just telling them where to go.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21They're able to surround the flat,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23obviously force entry and arrest the guy.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Caught in the act, if you like.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30The police use data from past burglaries
0:30:30 > 0:30:33to help them choose the best location for fake houses.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37Statistics show that once a burglary has taken place in a particular area,
0:30:37 > 0:30:41the immediate neighbours are at an increased risk
0:30:41 > 0:30:44of being burgled during the first two weeks.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47If you have an offender or a group of offenders
0:30:47 > 0:30:48operating in a certain area,
0:30:48 > 0:30:50that's where hotspots will show up on our map.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52We'll have the community telling us,
0:30:52 > 0:30:54"We're having burglaries in this area."
0:30:54 > 0:30:57And that's where we'll deploy kit and people.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01CRASHING NOISES
0:31:01 > 0:31:03In a different fake house in Birmingham,
0:31:03 > 0:31:05Dave got a text at 3am to let him know
0:31:05 > 0:31:07that another burglary was in progress.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19The minute they've entered, so a number of seconds ago now,
0:31:19 > 0:31:22that's triggered the alarm on my phone.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24So I've had a number of text messages saying,
0:31:24 > 0:31:26"Check your phone, check the cameras."
0:31:26 > 0:31:30At which point, I've dialled in and seen them in the previous room.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33So straight away, I can start coordinating people and saying,
0:31:33 > 0:31:36"We've got a live burglary. We need to surround this premises.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38"This is where you need to go."
0:31:38 > 0:31:42And already, unknown to these guys, we're heading towards them
0:31:42 > 0:31:45and we're surrounding the premises itself.
0:31:45 > 0:31:50Footage like this can be used in court cases to provide evidence.
0:31:53 > 0:31:58You can see some of them covering their hands up with their sleeves.
0:31:58 > 0:31:59That's to stop fingerprints.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01And try and get away with the offence.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03That's good evidence for us
0:32:03 > 0:32:05because it shows they've got some sort of guilty knowledge
0:32:05 > 0:32:07and guilty intent about what they're doing.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10The cameras are so small that the criminals have no clue
0:32:10 > 0:32:14that this fake house has been rigged just to catch them out.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18No idea that we've got cameras everywhere.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20You'll see them look directly at the cameras,
0:32:20 > 0:32:22come straight up to the cameras.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25They don't know that they're there. They're perfect.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37They've got absolutely nowhere to go now.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39And off they go out the front door,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41literally into the waiting arms of police officers
0:32:41 > 0:32:44with a load of stolen property still in their pockets,
0:32:44 > 0:32:45and all on camera.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48Once arrested and shown this footage,
0:32:48 > 0:32:51the juvenile criminals immediately confessed
0:32:51 > 0:32:53and were found guilty of theft,
0:32:53 > 0:32:56each receiving a 12-month suspended sentence.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58It's clear from the statistics
0:32:58 > 0:33:01that crime dropped again here significantly.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05That small area had seen over 20 burglaries
0:33:05 > 0:33:07in a really short period of time.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09After the deployment of the capture house,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12we had no burglaries for over a month in that small area.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14It just shows it will cut it dead
0:33:14 > 0:33:16because these people, once they get caught,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19they will tell their friends, they will tell their family.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22The criminal networks will find out what we're doing,
0:33:22 > 0:33:26and obviously, it makes them think twice about their offending.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31For Dave Keen and his team, the mission doesn't stop here,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35as new fake houses are being set up in different areas all the time.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37These people will go into people's houses
0:33:37 > 0:33:40and probably have no second thought about it.
0:33:40 > 0:33:41I want them to be thinking,
0:33:41 > 0:33:46"This house that we're looking at and we're thinking of going into,
0:33:46 > 0:33:48"Is it a capture house? Do the police own it?
0:33:48 > 0:33:51"Am I going to get jumped on when I walk out the house and arrested?
0:33:51 > 0:33:53"Am I going to go to court? Am I going to go to jail?"
0:33:53 > 0:33:55The fear should be on these people
0:33:55 > 0:33:58and not on the members of the public, and that's my hope.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09For all their razzle-dazzle, it's not hard to work out
0:34:09 > 0:34:12why fireworks are one of the most heavily-regulated products
0:34:12 > 0:34:14for sale in the UK.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17But while you can still buy a Catherine wheel or Roman candle,
0:34:17 > 0:34:19if you're old enough,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22the firework you won't be able to get hold of, legally at least,
0:34:22 > 0:34:24is a banger.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28They were banned after a spate of accidents in the '90s.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30So the only British bangers
0:34:30 > 0:34:32on sale in Britain today are the fakes.
0:34:34 > 0:34:39Worryingly, fake bangers have been found being sold outside schools
0:34:39 > 0:34:40up and down the country.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42And, in the North of England,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45the fakers are using one brand name in particular.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48Black Cat fireworks are one of the oldest
0:34:48 > 0:34:51and most recognisable firework brands in the UK,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54which makes them an obvious target for the fakers.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Dave Lovell of West Yorkshire Trading Standards has recently seized
0:34:57 > 0:35:00fake Black Cat bangers in numerous raids across Yorkshire.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04We had no idea where these products were coming from.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07Obviously we made the routine enquiry
0:35:07 > 0:35:11with Black Cat Fireworks, the company based in Huddersfield,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13but they told us point blank
0:35:13 > 0:35:16that the product wasn't being produced by them.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18They were a reputable company.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21We took that as read, and then we started to investigate,
0:35:21 > 0:35:24as a result of the intelligence that was coming in.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28When bangers were banned in 1997,
0:35:28 > 0:35:32Black Cat ceased manufacturing them to comply with the law.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35So to Dave, it's obvious that these bangers are fakes.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38If you look at this product, it says, 'Made In China'.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Well, it's supposed to say, 'Made In China'.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Unfortunately, the second letter,
0:35:43 > 0:35:46which is supposed to be an H is unfortunately an N.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49So you would have thought that they would have spelled
0:35:49 > 0:35:51the name of the country correctly.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56Fake bangers also appeared in Stockport,
0:35:56 > 0:35:58where an anonymous tip-off
0:35:58 > 0:36:01led to Ian O'Donnell's Trading Standards team
0:36:01 > 0:36:03seizing hundreds of them.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05We were made aware that bangers were on sale,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08which was an immediate concern for us,
0:36:08 > 0:36:11principally because bangers have been banned for a number of years.
0:36:11 > 0:36:12We made enquiries
0:36:12 > 0:36:16with the information and numbers we were given
0:36:16 > 0:36:18and arranged to purchase three packs of bangers.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22So our officers attended a car park in Stockport
0:36:22 > 0:36:24and were supplied with these.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28And the price that these bangers were being sold for
0:36:28 > 0:36:31indicates that they were being aimed at children.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35These were being sold for £2 per pack of ten.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Dave Lovell's research also indicated
0:36:38 > 0:36:40that the bangers were aimed at children.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44We had a number of concerned parents contacting us
0:36:44 > 0:36:46and, to a lesser degree,
0:36:46 > 0:36:49there was instances where teachers contacted us directly, saying that
0:36:49 > 0:36:54they had concerns they were being sold or used at the local school.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58We took the bangers to one of the oldest firework companies in the UK,
0:36:58 > 0:37:03Phoenix Fireworks, to get an expert opinion on the fakery.
0:37:03 > 0:37:08Before they're even out of the box it's clear that something's wrong.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10If we look at the two labels,
0:37:10 > 0:37:13this being the fake product and this being a legal product,
0:37:13 > 0:37:16you'll see the British Standard here, 7114.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18With 2 and an 88.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21Now that is incorrect.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25It should say Part 2 and it should say 1988.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29This product's labelling is incorrect and also illegal.
0:37:29 > 0:37:34The correct form of labelling is a legal requirement in the UK
0:37:34 > 0:37:38and even though the fakers know that, they can't even get that right.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41But this isn't just an issue of labelling.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43Before Jon has even tested the bangers
0:37:43 > 0:37:47he can see that they're dangerously unsafe.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50With this product, there are some problems.
0:37:50 > 0:37:58Firstly, this piece of fuse here will only, I'd suggest,
0:37:58 > 0:38:01last for maybe four or five seconds.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03So, of course, you can't get away far enough
0:38:03 > 0:38:05from this product in that time.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09Worse than that, there is no quality gas seal
0:38:09 > 0:38:12from the fuse into the composition,
0:38:12 > 0:38:14which is held within this part.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18A fuse not being sealed correctly is a serious business.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21If a spark flew down into the unsealed gap,
0:38:21 > 0:38:23the banger would ignite in your hand.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25If you were to light this firework,
0:38:25 > 0:38:29very likely this would damage your fingers very severely.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33The speed at which this product would ignite
0:38:33 > 0:38:38could be anything from zero seconds to four seconds.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42Obviously you take your luck in your hand at that point,
0:38:42 > 0:38:43if you light one of these,
0:38:43 > 0:38:47And if you're holding it, if it's zero seconds,
0:38:47 > 0:38:49then inevitably you'll receive some injuries.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53At Phoenix Fireworks' test site,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55Jon and Alex perform a controlled experiment
0:38:55 > 0:39:00on the fake bangers to check what the risks are.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04We're trying to recreate in a very basic form
0:39:04 > 0:39:08if one of these bangers go off in a hand.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12And what we've done is filled a surgical glove with sand
0:39:12 > 0:39:16to try and recreate, in a very crude way,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19what would happen if one of these fireworks were to go off
0:39:19 > 0:39:21in somebody's hand whilst they were holding it.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32EXPLOSION
0:39:32 > 0:39:36You can see where the stick that was holding the glove
0:39:36 > 0:39:39has completely disintegrated.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43We're able to find portions of the finger
0:39:43 > 0:39:49with sand in the bottom of it still, but torn apart here.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51If that was skin and tissue,
0:39:51 > 0:39:56it's likely the finger would have been removed during the explosion.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Having done several tests on the bangers,
0:39:59 > 0:40:03it is clear that the reaction time of each one varies enormously,
0:40:03 > 0:40:06with the shortest explosion measured at three seconds.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10The fuses are so erratic that Jon has added extra fuse
0:40:10 > 0:40:14for safety during the tests.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18EXPLOSIONS
0:40:18 > 0:40:23Each one of these type of fireworks are not consistent.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27Each one's going off in a different way compared to the next.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30Some explode very fiercely, some don't explode quite as hard.
0:40:30 > 0:40:35With each banger reacting differently, even within one pack,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38the consumer would have no idea what the next one would do,
0:40:38 > 0:40:40how intense the explosion would be
0:40:40 > 0:40:43or even how long it will take before it goes off.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48These particular fireworks
0:40:48 > 0:40:49are not well made.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51They're not good quality.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54There's going to be questionable mixes of powder
0:40:54 > 0:40:56that you don't know what they're going to do.
0:40:56 > 0:41:01The fireworks industry in the UK is very heavily regulated
0:41:01 > 0:41:05and each firework that is available to consumers
0:41:05 > 0:41:07has been rigorously tested. And with good reason.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11The problem with fake or illegal fireworks
0:41:11 > 0:41:13is they've gone through none of this testing.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16They put what they want in them.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18They put illegal substances in them, illegal chemicals,
0:41:18 > 0:41:21and you really don't know what they're going to do.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23If you're buying fireworks from a man in a van,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26a man in a pub, a man on the side of the road,
0:41:26 > 0:41:29you really are taking your life in your own hands.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33Looking at this alarming footage on the internet,
0:41:33 > 0:41:37it's no wonder the industry and authorities are so concerned
0:41:37 > 0:41:38about fake bangers.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Anyone playing with them, like these youngsters,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44are clearly putting themselves in serious danger.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46There had been an incident where
0:41:46 > 0:41:49a young boy had been seriously injured by bangers.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51He lost part of his finger.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53That is something that the police were investigating.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56But clearly, being aware of that, when a further report came through
0:41:56 > 0:42:00that the bangers were on sale, we wanted to do everything we could
0:42:00 > 0:42:02to get them off sale as soon as possible.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04And in another incident in Essex,
0:42:04 > 0:42:07George Kemble-Brown's hand was blown to pieces
0:42:07 > 0:42:10when the illegal banger he'd been sold
0:42:10 > 0:42:13ignited immediately on lighting it.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16I definitely would say that anything that's fake is going to be
0:42:16 > 0:42:20inherently more dangerous, because you simply don't know what's in it.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23And before you know it, you've suffered quite serious injuries
0:42:23 > 0:42:27because you've bought something that's fake and illegal.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38That's all from Fake Britain today. Bye for now.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd