0:00:02 > 0:00:06Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22- Get down! Get down! - Get on the floor now!
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Put your hands behind your back now!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27It's just an ordinary house.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29It could be anywhere in the country,
0:00:29 > 0:00:34but this is the Fake Britain house and it's filled with fakes.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37You may not know it, but your home could be too.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40In this series, we'll be investigating the criminals
0:00:40 > 0:00:43trying to get their hands on your cash
0:00:43 > 0:00:47by using fraud, forgeries and fakery,
0:00:47 > 0:00:51and I'll be showing you how you can avoid being taken for a ride.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54Today, on Fake Britain...
0:00:56 > 0:01:02..danger on our roads, the fake car insurance putting us all at risk...
0:01:02 > 0:01:05And he had hoodwinked over 500 different victims,
0:01:05 > 0:01:09all paying thousands of pounds direct to his bank accounts,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12for car insurance that were fake.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17..the fake police who brought terror into people's homes...
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Shocking. It was just the worst moment of my life.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23I still get flashbacks.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26They thought at that moment in time, they were both, you know,
0:01:26 > 0:01:27going to end up dead.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31..and the man faking homelessness.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36Police say his begging was making him more than £50,000 a year...
0:01:36 > 0:01:40while living in one of the most expensive areas in London.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43The majority of our beggars are conning the public.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55If you drive a motor vehicle on public roads, you need insurance.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57It's that simple.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01If you drive around without it, not only are you committing a crime,
0:02:01 > 0:02:06but you're a liability to everyone else. So, you do what we all do.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09You get a quote, you pay your money over,
0:02:09 > 0:02:14and then, a little bit later, a certificate arrives in the post.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Yeah, except, as we've discovered,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21the fakers are now also targeting the motor insurance industry.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24(It's a fake!)
0:02:26 > 0:02:29The key to being a good driver is not taking risks.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33But fake insurance means you might be facing
0:02:33 > 0:02:36a danger on the roads without even realising it.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42It's called ghost broking. Criminals sell fake car insurance online.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45It often appears to be genuine, and at a good price,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47but the policy isn't underwritten.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50It's worthless, and means victims can think they're insured
0:02:50 > 0:02:51when they're not.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56DCI Dave Wood is the head of the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department
0:02:56 > 0:02:59based at the City of London Police
0:02:59 > 0:03:02and runs a team investigating just this kind of fraud.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05They are technically driving without insurance,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07which leads to all sorts of repercussions.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10You can be prosecuted at court should you be involved in an accident
0:03:10 > 0:03:14with another member of the public, another vehicle or pedestrian,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17then you will be liable for those damages without any cover.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Nick Whitaker's family found out all about ghost broking...
0:03:22 > 0:03:24the hard way.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27I was looking for some car insurance for my son who's 17,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31just passed his test, looking for some competitive car insurance
0:03:31 > 0:03:33in this day and age where it's very expensive.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38After trawling through the internet,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Nick came across the Aston Midshires website,
0:03:41 > 0:03:46not to be confused with any other company of a very similar name.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50It looked highly professional and he decided to call them for a quote.
0:03:51 > 0:03:52I telephoned him myself,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55I gave him the car registration plate details,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57he then told me exactly what the car was,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59what the size of the car was,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01what the colour of the car was and everything.
0:04:01 > 0:04:02He knew everything about the car.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05We got a fully comprehensive quote and I thought,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08"Well, he's probably saved about £600."
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Nick's son handed over a deposit.
0:04:10 > 0:04:16They received these documents and he was satisfied he'd got a good deal.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19If you'd seen the documentation that these guys sent out
0:04:19 > 0:04:22was as plausible as any documentation that I've ever had in 30 years.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25There was a certificate of motor insurance, there was
0:04:25 > 0:04:29a cover note, they had the watermark through all the paperwork.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Pleased with the professional approach
0:04:31 > 0:04:36of Aston Midshires, Nick was only too happy to recommend them.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Hearing about the good deal he'd got,
0:04:38 > 0:04:43one of his son's friends asked Nick to help him get a quote too.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46But this time, when Nick tried ringing the broker,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50the company that he'd thought was so professional first time round,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52was a lot more elusive.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56After trying them for probably three or four hours, I then became a bit
0:04:56 > 0:04:59suspicious really on whether or not the insurance company was genuine.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02So, I rang the local police to find out whether they could just check
0:05:02 > 0:05:05whether my son's car was insured.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08It turned out that the documents were all fake.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11They weren't worth the paper they were written on.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Nick had fallen prey to a sophisticated conman
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and it had cost his family nearly £2,000.
0:05:19 > 0:05:20I feel sick and angry, to be fair.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24I feel sick at the fact that my son could have killed somebody
0:05:24 > 0:05:26and his car insurance wouldn't have been valid.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28What would we have done then?
0:05:28 > 0:05:30I feel angry that these guys are getting away with
0:05:30 > 0:05:31what they get away with.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Nick wasn't the only victim.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Hundreds of others were being taken in.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40The police started to investigate.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Uniformed police officers were stopping vehicles
0:05:42 > 0:05:46driven by young motorists who didn't have insurance.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49The young motorist, when in conversation with the police officer,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52would explain, "Yes, I have insurance." Sometimes, they may
0:05:52 > 0:05:55have had an actual copy of the fake certificate on them.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57With motorists being tricked,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01police were keen to stop any more cash being handed over.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04They took the Aston Midshires site down.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Who was the mystery man,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08the shadowy ghost broker?
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Police were starting to build up a picture.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14This guy was very much au fait with the internet, his website
0:06:14 > 0:06:17and operation was of the highest order,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21and he paid extra premium so when you did a search for, say,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23cheap car insurance, his site would be one of the first
0:06:23 > 0:06:24that you came across.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29It looked bona fide and you would never be suspicious of it.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33After months of investigative work, police uncovered this man,
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Danyal Buckharee, as the face behind the fraud.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40He was one of the biggest ghost brokers in the UK.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Police decided to raid Buckharee's flat.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Which was, in effect, his operating centre,
0:06:49 > 0:06:54and this was an office with various laptops, various mobile phones,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56lots of paper with numbers on,
0:06:56 > 0:07:01fake certificates...he had a wall chart on with his sales team,
0:07:01 > 0:07:07his marketing team, his compliance manager, all details which were fake.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11The flat was his office and the nerve centre of his operation.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15But how had Buckharee managed to convince victims that he was
0:07:15 > 0:07:17running a real insurance company?
0:07:17 > 0:07:19I tended to speak to them four or five times
0:07:19 > 0:07:22on the telephone before we even transferred any money to them.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24There was always office noise in the background,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28like a proper insurance office, so they were very, very convincing.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32And there was a reason why the office sounded so genuine.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36He had a sound system there that was wired up to replicate
0:07:36 > 0:07:39the noises in a call centre.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41So, you'd be sitting there talking to Mr Buckharee about
0:07:41 > 0:07:44your car insurance policy, which was fake,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46and you would hear other people talking in the background,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49you would hear phones going and fax machines whirring.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51This was all part of his scam.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53He would actually be in the flat on his own.
0:07:53 > 0:07:54OFFICE NOISES PLAY
0:07:54 > 0:07:57You're listening to the actual recording that Buckharee
0:07:57 > 0:07:59played to his targets.
0:07:59 > 0:08:00CHATTERING AND PHONES RINGING
0:08:04 > 0:08:07From his small riverside flat, Buckharee had created the illusion
0:08:07 > 0:08:11of a busy insurance office, and, while on the raid,
0:08:11 > 0:08:15police discovered evidence of 40 more targets.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18People insured with First Car Direct Insurance,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22another of his fake companies, and shouldn't be confused with
0:08:22 > 0:08:25any other companies of the same or similar names.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29We contacted all of those drivers that were actually,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32some of them, on the road when we phoned them
0:08:32 > 0:08:35in possession of these fake policies, but none the wiser till
0:08:35 > 0:08:37they received that phone call from one of my detectives.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Buckharee was sentenced to three years in prison for fraud.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48He had hoodwinked over 500 different victims.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51He'd set up, over time, four different websites,
0:08:51 > 0:08:55each of which had attracted numerous victims,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59all paying thousands of pounds direct to his bank accounts for car
0:08:59 > 0:09:02insurance policies and certificates that were fake.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04I would have him as one of the top-level fraudsters,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07certainly the best one that we've encountered so far,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09and I say 'best' in inverted commas.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15City of London Police are cracking down on car insurance fraud,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18with a number of early morning raids.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22Last year, they made nearly 50 arrests for ghost broking.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26Simon Douglas investigates fake insurance,
0:09:26 > 0:09:31and says that ghost broking is a fraud that's on the rise.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33We've definitely seen an increase in ghost broking,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35it's a very lucrative crime.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39The scams were are extremely good, the offers look convincing,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41and people have got no reason to disbelieve that they aren't
0:09:41 > 0:09:44dealing with a perfectly proper trained advisor.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47So, it is very hard for people to avoid ghost broking, they do
0:09:47 > 0:09:48need to be very careful.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52If they see an offer that looks too good to be true, it probably is.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Many of us just walk on by, some spare a little change,
0:10:01 > 0:10:06and there are those who do a lot more and are really generous.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10We all have different reactions to beggars on the street.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Most of us agree, though, that if someone is genuinely homeless,
0:10:14 > 0:10:20through no fault of their own, then they need and deserve our help.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23And that makes it all the more frustrating to know that there
0:10:23 > 0:10:25are some beggars who are faking it,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29and a tiny minority who have turned it into a lucrative business.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Begging is illegal in Britain, but we all know it goes on.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39And although many of us don't mind giving cash,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42police say it's encouraging people onto the streets.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45They say many of the people collecting it aren't really
0:10:45 > 0:10:48genuinely homeless or in need,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50and are simply preying on the public's kindness.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57This is Lincoln, where police say fake begging
0:10:57 > 0:10:59has become something of an industry.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02They run an operation to tackle persistent
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and aggressive begging in the city centre.
0:11:05 > 0:11:06The first perception is that
0:11:06 > 0:11:10if somebody sees somebody sat on the ground looking for small change,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13that that person is destitute, has no other means of support,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15needs that to survive.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18When they went to tackle begging,
0:11:18 > 0:11:24they uncovered another fraud taking place, widespread fakery with lots
0:11:24 > 0:11:28of people pretending to be hungry and homeless when they aren't.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Some of our beggars are actually on benefits, have homes,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36and actually are making £50 a day just from the begging activities.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Well, if you extrapolate that out, that's a lot of money over a year.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43In fact, it's more than you could earn
0:11:43 > 0:11:45working nine to five on the minimum wage.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52'Inspector Mark Garthwaite is determined not to allow
0:11:52 > 0:11:53'the public to be conned.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58'Here, he's briefing his officers before a patrol.'
0:11:58 > 0:12:02And in front of him are pictures of the city's most persistent beggars.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04So, this is probably our most prolific, yes,
0:12:04 > 0:12:08so he's the one that you're probably going to come across most today.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12He got aggressive with people and has a well-established house,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14absolutely no reason for him to be begging whatsoever.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19In fact, five out of the six people in these mug shots are faking it.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Although they might appear homeless when out begging,
0:12:22 > 0:12:26they all have addresses and some are on benefits.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33With the briefing over, officers head off into the city.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37And it's not long before they come across one of the men on their list.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Down at the waterfront, they spot one of their six most
0:12:41 > 0:12:45prolific offenders sitting in a popular begging location.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49He's got a home and is well-known for begging in the city centre.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58If you sit there, it may appear that you're begging, which is
0:12:58 > 0:13:00a criminal offence.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04The police move him on with a warning not to come back.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08They have found fake beggars come up with a range of excuses.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11'When we do brief the staff, we say, you know, talk to these people,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14'why are they sat on a blanket on the ground in an underpass when there'
0:13:14 > 0:13:19are fantastic numbers of benches and seating available in the city centre?
0:13:19 > 0:13:21So, to be sat on the ground on a blanket is clearly placing
0:13:21 > 0:13:24themselves in a position where they can get money off people.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Another team has spotted this man.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31A well-known street beggar, he's sitting in a spot that police
0:13:31 > 0:13:35know people often use for begging, and he's attracted some passers-by.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43OK...
0:13:43 > 0:13:45While the woman heads off to fetch him a cuppa,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48the officers move in for a chat.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Isn't it? Yes, I don't believe you're begging at the moment, but
0:13:51 > 0:13:55I do know you've had history of that round here,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57you've been spoken to about it.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Right.
0:14:09 > 0:14:10OK...
0:14:10 > 0:14:14if what you're telling me is the case, and these ladies are offering
0:14:14 > 0:14:17just to get you a cup of tea, I have no issue with that whatsoever.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20You know the drill as well as I do. Oh, sorry, my love.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Yeah, so, if we come back in...
0:14:24 > 0:14:26an hour's time or so, you're still here,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28it will be a different situation.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31OK? All right, you're very welcome. Thank you.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Despite his rucksack, some cardboard and a dog,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36the man admits he's currently housed.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39It's a softly, softly approach this time.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43If this gentleman does have a home address, there is
0:14:43 > 0:14:46a possibility that he is begging alongside claiming benefits
0:14:46 > 0:14:47and, on this occasion,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51we felt that it was a more appropriate action to
0:14:51 > 0:14:52request that he move on,
0:14:52 > 0:14:58rather than take a more official response of ticketing or fining him.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00We have beggars who are genuinely homeless
0:15:00 > 0:15:03and who will actually say thank you for a cup of coffee or
0:15:03 > 0:15:04a slice of cake or a sausage roll,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08or whatever people want to give them, you know, so they are making
0:15:08 > 0:15:12nothing, they are simply going hand to mouth, and we accept that.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14They are the people we will target most with the support and the help.
0:15:14 > 0:15:19The people that have made over £50 a day in cash and have benefits
0:15:19 > 0:15:21and are in housing, well, you know,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23you're talking about quite a good wage there.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25That's a lot more money than some people are making
0:15:25 > 0:15:28who are working hard for it and, actually, are probably some
0:15:28 > 0:15:32of the people that are giving money to these people in the first place.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Lincoln is a popular place for tourists.
0:15:35 > 0:15:36Police say in the past
0:15:36 > 0:15:40it's attracted professional beggars from far and wide,
0:15:40 > 0:15:44but that the operation has successfully brought numbers down,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47despite the use of some clever tactics.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50We've got regulars who know that we're out there,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52who know where the CCTV cameras are,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55so they know if they sit in certain positions, we don't see them
0:15:55 > 0:15:57unless we literally come across them ourselves.
0:15:58 > 0:16:03They say patrols like this are vital and usually turn up results.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Today is no different.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08- Hello there. - This man is a persistent offender.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10What's your name?
0:16:10 > 0:16:13He's been banned from sitting on the ground anywhere in Lincoln.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16He has an address and is well known to police.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18- Are you moving on now?- Yeah.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20OK, so, you know you shouldn't be here?
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Well, you do know you can't be in the centre of town,
0:16:23 > 0:16:25so consider this as a warning for doing this.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27'This is our most prolific beggar.'
0:16:27 > 0:16:30He will walk away when our officers approach,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32he will sit in areas not very well covered by CCTV
0:16:32 > 0:16:36because he knows we're less likely to be able to prove things,
0:16:36 > 0:16:40'so he is very, very sharp around the legislation knowing what we can do.'
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Do you have an address?
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Yeah, I've been staying at 35...
0:16:45 > 0:16:49After giving police his address, they let him move on.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51OK, well, consider this a warning. If we see you again,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53we'll have to move you, we'll have to do something...
0:16:53 > 0:16:56'He has been offered help by various charities'
0:16:56 > 0:16:57and has thrown it back in their face.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00He refuses the help, he refuses to change his lifestyle, because
0:17:00 > 0:17:03he is making a substantial amount of money from this, thank you very much.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Rick Henderson runs Homeless Link,
0:17:07 > 0:17:10a charity that helps the genuinely needy.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13They've conducted research into fake begging.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17The public, when they're faced with seeing somebody
0:17:17 > 0:17:21begging in the streets, make the assumption that they are genuinely
0:17:21 > 0:17:26homeless, but our research shows that this is often not the case.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Of people with experience of homelessness,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31eight in ten admit to sleeping rough,
0:17:31 > 0:17:35but only three in ten admit to begging, so there isn't really
0:17:35 > 0:17:39a direct link that we can find between homelessness and begging.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Rick says members of the public wanting to help the homeless
0:17:43 > 0:17:46should think carefully about how they give.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49We think it's a matter of personal conscience
0:17:49 > 0:17:52whether or not people give their money to beggars in the street.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56It's very difficult sometimes to walk past somebody in the street who
0:17:56 > 0:17:59clearly seems to be in need.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03What we think is important is that people understand the facts
0:18:03 > 0:18:07It's certainly not the case that all beggars are homeless,
0:18:07 > 0:18:08it's often the case, in fact,
0:18:08 > 0:18:13that people are begging in order to get money for drugs or alcohol,
0:18:13 > 0:18:17and we think that there are alternatives that people could
0:18:17 > 0:18:19choose instead of giving money to beggars.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22For example, they could buy copies of the Big Issue,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26they could donate their money or time to local homelessness charities.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29So, giving to beggars, although it's a personal choice,
0:18:29 > 0:18:30is not the only option.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33CONVERSATION INDISTINCT
0:18:33 > 0:18:35I can see you packing up. Does that mean you're moving on?
0:18:35 > 0:18:37'None of the people we filmed begging
0:18:37 > 0:18:39'wanted to be interviewed on camera.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43'Now, this is just one city, but police here say public perception
0:18:43 > 0:18:45'is different from the reality they're seeing,
0:18:45 > 0:18:49'and they want the public to be on their guard for fake beggars.'
0:18:49 > 0:18:53We are seeing over 50% of the people that we are dealing with for begging,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56have houses, are on some sort of benefits,
0:18:56 > 0:19:00and don't need this way of life, they are simply feeding habits
0:19:00 > 0:19:03using money from the public and they are being preyed on.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06This is in any way, shape or form, a fraud.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08The majority of our beggars are conning the public.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Later on, we'll see the extraordinary story
0:19:14 > 0:19:18of a beggar making more than £50,000 a year by pretending
0:19:18 > 0:19:20to be homeless, while, all the time,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23living in one of the most expensive areas of London.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34When bad things happen, you want to be able to rely on the police.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38It's the badge and uniform you should be able to trust,
0:19:38 > 0:19:42but, as our next story shows, not even the boys and girls in blue
0:19:42 > 0:19:44are off limits to the fakers.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Detective Sergeant John Andrew is on his way to court to see
0:19:51 > 0:19:54fakers that he's brought to justice sentenced.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56But it's how they went about their
0:19:56 > 0:19:59violent crime spree that's disturbing.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01Our offenders were dressed as police officers,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03they had body armour, handcuffs,
0:20:03 > 0:20:07police identification...it's very serious.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10It's one of the biggest cases of its kind.
0:20:10 > 0:20:16The criminals in this van are violent, serious and organised.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Their fakery involved hostage-taking,
0:20:18 > 0:20:23car chases, and robberies that left their victims terrified.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25It was the scariest thing we've ever gone through.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28It was shocking, we couldn't get to sleep for months.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31They thought, at that moment in time, they were both, you know,
0:20:31 > 0:20:32going to end up dead.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37The police in Manchester had a problem.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40The public was being taken in by fakers,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43fakers who were pretending to be police in order to
0:20:43 > 0:20:45con their way into people's homes,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49and the criminals were meticulous in their attention to detail.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51The talk that they used, they used a lot of police jargon,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55they produced what looked like fake police documents,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59and I just think that their argument was very, very convincing that
0:20:59 > 0:21:01they were, you know, genuine police officers,
0:21:01 > 0:21:02to the point people trusted them.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06The gang's method was simple and brazen.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08- HE KNOCKS ON DOOR - They would turn up on
0:21:08 > 0:21:10people's doorsteps, often in broad daylight...
0:21:10 > 0:21:12My name's DC Croft.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16..using fake police ID to create a false sense of security.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Mohammed, not his real name, is too terrified to appear.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25He says he'll never forget the day he was robbed by the fake policemen.
0:21:27 > 0:21:28Men just walk in and say,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31"Police." They were wearing the full gear and they come in
0:21:31 > 0:21:34and they said, "We got a warrant to search your place for drugs.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37"We have the cocaine, heroin..."
0:21:37 > 0:21:40I said, "What?!" I laughed and I said, "You having a laugh?"
0:21:40 > 0:21:42They said, "No, we're serious."
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I said, "Are you sure you've got the right house?" They go, "Yeah."
0:21:45 > 0:21:49I had my mum and my sister there, but my sister was pregnant.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53My mum just was quiet and just slowly just...
0:21:53 > 0:21:54she fainted.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59But the men weren't there to investigate drug use.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02They were there to steal whatever they could.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06I challenged them and I said, "If you're police...
0:22:06 > 0:22:08"show me your ID.
0:22:08 > 0:22:09"Show me your warrant."
0:22:09 > 0:22:12He said, "I'll show you it." I said, "No, I want to see it now."
0:22:12 > 0:22:15That's when he panicked a bit, I think,
0:22:15 > 0:22:19and he hit me in my face and I dropped and he handcuffed me
0:22:19 > 0:22:23and he handcuffed my brother, and he showed me an ID and he goes,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26"There, you happy? There's my ID. You happy?"
0:22:26 > 0:22:30And you should have seen the ID, it was a police officer's ID...
0:22:30 > 0:22:31but with his picture on it.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37The ID he'd used to reassure them was fake.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39The gang had copied police identification
0:22:39 > 0:22:42and put their own photos on them.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45They'd also got access to a badge and a warrant card
0:22:45 > 0:22:50lost by policemen from a different force some months earlier.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Flashing their fake ID convinced the family they were genuine.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55They were kept downstairs
0:22:55 > 0:22:59while some of the fake police officers ransacked the bedrooms.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02The thieves then turned their attention to the family car.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05They come back and they say, "Give us the Audi key,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08"we want to search the Audi. "Give us the keys."
0:23:09 > 0:23:12And they then turned round and said, "Look, we didn't find anything,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14"so the Dog Unit's coming."
0:23:16 > 0:23:18The fake policemen removed the handcuffs
0:23:18 > 0:23:20and told the family to wait indoors.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22The next minute you hear...
0:23:22 > 0:23:25the Audi just start up and...
0:23:25 > 0:23:27just reverse out of the corner...
0:23:27 > 0:23:29and go.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32The family then realised that the police officers
0:23:32 > 0:23:34were, in fact, criminals.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36I went and seen the state upstairs and I said,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38"Mum, we've just been robbed."
0:23:38 > 0:23:41It was just shocking, shocking...
0:23:41 > 0:23:46what you go through. It was just the worst moment of my life...
0:23:46 > 0:23:49basically. Nightmares...I still get flashbacks.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53But Mohammed wasn't the only victim.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56The gang was striking in other places as well,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59and they were becoming increasingly violent.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04In the first few occasions where they'd gone into an address,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07although they used the force to put the restraints on,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10they were generally...uh, would sort of reassure the occupants,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12then go and search the address.
0:24:12 > 0:24:13We then sort of noticed that
0:24:13 > 0:24:16things had become a little bit more sinister.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19The group started to kidnap people.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22They took one man to what he thought was an unmarked police car
0:24:22 > 0:24:25and drove him to a flat that they'd rented.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27He was taken inside the address
0:24:27 > 0:24:29and it was only at that point that two masked men
0:24:29 > 0:24:33burst their way into the address and said, "You're being robbed."
0:24:33 > 0:24:36He, genuinely thinking he was still with the police officers, jumped up
0:24:36 > 0:24:39and went to a police officer, looking for support and help,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42at which point, that officer turned round to him and said,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44"No, you are being robbed."
0:24:44 > 0:24:47And it was at that point then that he realised that the whole thing
0:24:47 > 0:24:51had been a ruse and he was in dreadful trouble.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Over the next hours, the victim was repeatedly beaten up,
0:24:56 > 0:25:00choked unconscious and threatened that his torture would get worse
0:25:00 > 0:25:02if he didn't hand over more money.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05With the violence escalating,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09the police had to find out who the fakers were and quickly.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13The breakthrough came when Salford CID began sharing
0:25:13 > 0:25:17its intelligence with Roy Story and his officers down the road.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22'Here at the Manchester Police HQ, Roy had been looking to
0:25:22 > 0:25:25'robberies in the Greater Manchester area,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28'and already had some information on possible suspects.'
0:25:29 > 0:25:32We had a spike in the number of offences being committed.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36We started investigating a team from the area of Salford who were
0:25:36 > 0:25:38committing robberies of cash couriers
0:25:38 > 0:25:40when they were making deliveries to banks.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Roy and his team had this house under surveillance.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Later, we'll see how it led them to the fake police gang
0:25:52 > 0:25:54and ended their violent crime spree.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56SIRENS WAIL
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Earlier, we saw how police in Lincoln are trying to stop
0:26:06 > 0:26:09fake beggars conning the public out of cash
0:26:09 > 0:26:12by pretending to be homeless.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14They found some evidence that,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16although someone might look hard-up...
0:26:16 > 0:26:18that's not always the case.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22In London, it appears fake begging has been taken to
0:26:22 > 0:26:24an astonishing level.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27This is Simon Wright.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Police say he was making over £50,000 a year
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and living in a flat in an expensive area.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38Oliver Strebel is a Metropolitan police officer.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42He works in Wandsworth and Wright was begging in his patch.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46He did appear to members of the public to be homeless.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50He had a rucksack and a blanket and his dog and he would be sitting
0:26:50 > 0:26:53on the ground, and he'd have a sign saying,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55"Please give me money, I have nowhere to live."
0:26:56 > 0:26:58But, in reality, it was all a con.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Wright was making significant sums of money through begging
0:27:02 > 0:27:05while living in a flat and claiming benefits.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Simon Wright was making between £200 and £300 a day.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15In change, mainly, but also notes as I saw myself when moving him on.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20I've seen £5, £10, and even a £20 note given to him.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25Police believe Wright was making more than £50,000 a year, tax-free,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27begging in Putney.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29But his success was attracting others.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33We actually went through a phase of having
0:27:33 > 0:27:37anything up to ten beggars a day in the high street, drunk,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40shouting and screaming, abusing members of the public,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43kicking rubbish across streets, dropping litter,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46staggering around and intimidating people,
0:27:46 > 0:27:48families, women with children...
0:27:49 > 0:27:53But it wasn't just on the street that this fake beggar was
0:27:53 > 0:27:54causing trouble.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57Despite pretending to be homeless,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Wright was actually living in Fulham...
0:28:00 > 0:28:04one of London's most upmarket and desirable areas...
0:28:04 > 0:28:06in a flat worth £350,000.
0:28:08 > 0:28:13And even though the State was paying his rent and supporting him, he was
0:28:13 > 0:28:18using the money he got from begging to help enjoy all-night parties.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23It certainly seemed as though Wright was getting away with it,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25but local people who'd given him money,
0:28:25 > 0:28:30started realising what he was up to and they contacted the police.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33We had a lot of calls from the public.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35There were websites where people were blogging,
0:28:35 > 0:28:38talking about the fact that here was this man
0:28:38 > 0:28:42and he has somewhere to live, it was public information.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Pressure was growing for the police to do something.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Wright was lying to people about not having a home, in fact,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51he carried a sign that said as much.
0:28:51 > 0:28:56It gave Oliver a chance to take him to court for his fakery.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59At court, he was convicted for fraud by false representation
0:28:59 > 0:29:04and for begging. He had pleaded guilty to it as a no contest.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07I think he assumed that it would just be another usual small fine
0:29:07 > 0:29:09and then he'd be out the door again.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13But the conviction meant that Oliver was able to secure an ASBO for
0:29:13 > 0:29:18Wright banning him from begging in Putney or anywhere else in London.
0:29:18 > 0:29:23I was very pleased because it moved Simon Wright out of the area
0:29:23 > 0:29:27and it dealt with one of our key concerns, which was antisocial
0:29:27 > 0:29:32behaviour in the area, by getting rid of Simon Wright and his hangers-on.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36However, since then, Wright has breached his ASBO,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39begging in the capital on a number of occasions.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44Simon Wright may be a one-off, an extreme,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46but he does prove the point.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50If you really want to help out a homeless person,
0:29:50 > 0:29:52you might be better off giving your money to one of
0:29:52 > 0:29:54the many charities that support them.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Where there is muck, some people say...
0:30:10 > 0:30:11there is brass.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13Well, this much is for certain,
0:30:13 > 0:30:17there is a lot of money to be made by disposing of our waste.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20It's expensive and there are all sorts of rules
0:30:20 > 0:30:23and regulations about what you dump where.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26Of course, where there is big money involved, inevitably,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29the fakers will want a piece of it, even if
0:30:29 > 0:30:32it means dumping thousands of tons of dangerous waste
0:30:32 > 0:30:36into one of the most beautiful areas of the country...
0:30:36 > 0:30:40a landfill site which is completely fake.
0:30:43 > 0:30:48Wales is a land of mountains and valleys, rivers and streams,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51so you would think that the water quality here would be quite
0:30:51 > 0:30:55good, but today they're having to do a test to see if it's polluted.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59It's something they might have to do for quite some time,
0:30:59 > 0:31:01and it's all down to the irresponsible actions of a
0:31:01 > 0:31:07faker who affected the people living here in Tredegar in South Wales.
0:31:09 > 0:31:14The people in this small town were worried about an overwhelming smell.
0:31:14 > 0:31:15Where was it coming from?
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Nobody around here seems to know what it was, what the smell was,
0:31:20 > 0:31:22where it was coming from.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25Stewart Brown and his sons had smelt a rat.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28My boys used to walk around the mountain
0:31:28 > 0:31:30and they was always on about the smell up there,
0:31:30 > 0:31:32and, like, brown liquid running down the mountain.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35It smelt like raw sewage. Not very nice for the people about here.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37You don't really want that on your doorstep.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42And they weren't the only ones concerned.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46Catriona Harvey works for Natural Resources Wales.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50It's her job to protect a countryside that she says is
0:31:50 > 0:31:52increasingly under attack from fakers.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58We had a report via our incident hotline of illegal tipping
0:31:58 > 0:32:01taking place at this site.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05But when Catriona arrived, what she uncovered shocked her.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08At a location which was supposed to be a beautiful stretch
0:32:08 > 0:32:13of quiet countryside, she found a massive working landfill...
0:32:15 > 0:32:20piles of rubbish everywhere filling up a disused reservoir.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24The land above the town had been turned into a dumping ground.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27They were smelling the stench of rotting rubbish.
0:32:28 > 0:32:33It was fake, it was unlicensed, it was illegal.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37It was very clear that the site had brought in shredded waste,
0:32:37 > 0:32:40mixed waste, which was paper, cardboard, wood,
0:32:40 > 0:32:43bits of blue plastic and bits of food waste,
0:32:43 > 0:32:45which very clearly shouldn't have been there.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49The rubbish was polluting the local environment
0:32:49 > 0:32:54and causing a nasty fluid called leachate to seep out of the ground.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59It was leaving the site in quite a high volume
0:32:59 > 0:33:04and the quality was shockingly poor, it was equivalent to raw sewage.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07The River Sirhowy is in close proximity.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11If the pollutant had gotten in, in strong enough concentrations,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15we could easily have lost the local fish population.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19Catriona and her colleagues slowly started to work out exactly
0:33:19 > 0:33:21what was going on.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24Paul Morris, a local farmer, had been letting the lorries
0:33:24 > 0:33:27and the cash roll in.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30He set up his rubbish dump by convincing companies
0:33:30 > 0:33:33he had permission to run a landfill that could take all
0:33:33 > 0:33:36sorts of products, but he was faking it.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39The truth is, he was only allowed to throw down
0:33:39 > 0:33:42soil and stone to build a farm track.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44Instead, he was selling the opportunity for companies to
0:33:44 > 0:33:46dump all kinds of waste here.
0:33:47 > 0:33:53He was trying to cover up his crime by putting a layer of stones on top.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58A staggering 80,000 tonnes of rubbish later, authorities were
0:33:58 > 0:34:02dealing with one of the biggest fake landfill sites in the country.
0:34:03 > 0:34:08The impact of that colossal amount of rubbish is that it's now
0:34:08 > 0:34:11necessary to keep a close eye on the water on site,
0:34:11 > 0:34:13testing it for contaminants.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15What we're going to do, we're going to go on the site today,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17Ashley's going to take some samples.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21- Put your wellies on, and let's get it done, OK?- Yeah.- OK, great, come on.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25The site is now grassed over,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29but it's what lurks beneath that's the real problem.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31There's too much material to move
0:34:31 > 0:34:36and it now means experts have to check the site every few months.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39More than 20 companies had been dumping all sorts of rubbish
0:34:39 > 0:34:40onto the land.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43The companies told investigators that Morris had showed them
0:34:43 > 0:34:47a permit. Reese Hughes is an environmental crime officer.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49He took over the case when they realised
0:34:49 > 0:34:52how large and complex it was.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56Some of those were taking high risk wastes, things that biodegrade in the
0:34:56 > 0:34:59soil which they certainly shouldn't have been taking to the site.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Morris was claiming that they had the relevant permissions to do so,
0:35:02 > 0:35:04while clearly he didn't.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08Morris was found guilty at Newport Crown Court of an offence
0:35:08 > 0:35:10under the Environmental Protection Act.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13He got 300 hours community service
0:35:13 > 0:35:17and a ten-month jail sentence that was suspended.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21They worked out he'd made more than a quarter of a million pounds.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23This is a very irresponsible act.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25It's illegal, it's dangerous to the environment
0:35:25 > 0:35:26and also harmful to communities.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31Regulated landfills have infrastructure in place to
0:35:31 > 0:35:33minimise and stop pollution to the environment.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35Morris didn't have any of this.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38The impact of that is there could be potential pollution to
0:35:38 > 0:35:40things like ground water, but, also, landfill gas can be
0:35:40 > 0:35:44produced which is potentially very harmful to human health.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49With a risk to the local population and wildlife,
0:35:49 > 0:35:54it's the unknown material that lies beneath that's most worrying.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58We don't know exactly what wastes were buried on this site.
0:35:58 > 0:36:03Hopefully, work will be done in the future to ascertain that.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06The shocking thing about this is just how widespread
0:36:06 > 0:36:08the problem actually is.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10In the UK, recent figures show authorities
0:36:10 > 0:36:15shut down around 25 illegal sites every week.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Recent water samples taken from this site show that,
0:36:18 > 0:36:23although water quality had improved, it still contains contaminants.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26There's a really strong smell still, which indicates to us
0:36:26 > 0:36:30the presence of chemicals, etc, still in the water, like ammonia,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33so we're going to send them away today, just to check those levels.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39The faker that tried to turn trash into cash could be
0:36:39 > 0:36:42a burden on the countryside for years to come,
0:36:42 > 0:36:46but Morris is being pursued under the Proceeds of Crime Act to
0:36:46 > 0:36:48get back the money he's made.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51We wish to take the profit out of waste crime to retrieve
0:36:51 > 0:36:53the ill-gotten gains and, hopefully,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56reinvest it in this site to protect the environment.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08Earlier, we heard how police in Manchester had a problem.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12Criminals faking their identity had been using their credentials
0:37:12 > 0:37:15to rob and kidnap people.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17Their crimes were becoming more violent.
0:37:18 > 0:37:23The police needed to find out who the fakers were and fast.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26Roy Story's team had put this house under surveillance.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30They suspected this man, Connor Smith-Macphee,
0:37:30 > 0:37:33of committing robberies on cash-in-transit vans.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36But while watching the people who were coming and going here,
0:37:36 > 0:37:40they found a vital piece of evidence that would link them to the
0:37:40 > 0:37:42fake police crimes...
0:37:42 > 0:37:44a stolen Audi A3.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Whilst we were doing our investigation into
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Connor Smith-Macphee and his associates, we became aware that
0:37:51 > 0:37:55they had possession of a stolen Audi A3 that was on false numberplates.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58While we were conducting observations at that address,
0:37:58 > 0:38:02we saw Connor Smith-Macphee get into that Audi and leave the area.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05It then became apparent, two or three days later, that that vehicle
0:38:05 > 0:38:08had been used in a robbery at a jewellers in Preston
0:38:08 > 0:38:12and the significance of that was the people who committed that robbery had
0:38:12 > 0:38:16gone into that premises purporting to be police officers,
0:38:16 > 0:38:17dressed as police officers,
0:38:17 > 0:38:21saying that had a warrant to search the premises for stolen jewellery.
0:38:21 > 0:38:26They'd restrained the occupants of the shop at the time using handcuffs
0:38:26 > 0:38:30and cable ties and they'd stolen quite a large amount of jewellery.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33The Audi that was used at this job in Preston
0:38:33 > 0:38:38and the use of police uniforms tied Macphee to the fake police crime.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42He was clearly involved somehow in the robbery,
0:38:42 > 0:38:45but police wanted the whole gang.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47A couple of days after the job at the jewellers,
0:38:47 > 0:38:49they captured this footage.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53A group of men are pictured coming back to Macphee's address
0:38:53 > 0:38:55carrying a large holdall.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01Days later, Connor Smith-Macphee was filmed burning things
0:39:01 > 0:39:03in his back garden.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06It was difficult cos we suspected he was burning evidence.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09It was within the days following the robbery in Preston,
0:39:09 > 0:39:11we suspected it was evidence from there.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15We were keen to act on that, but the chances were that actually
0:39:15 > 0:39:18have jeopardised the investigation if we'd have acted too soon.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23At this stage, the evidence was all circumstantial,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26but the fakers' reckless behaviour was about to give police a lead.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31An unmarked traffic car was on patrol
0:39:31 > 0:39:34when they just happened to see two vehicles that appeared to be
0:39:34 > 0:39:39travelling in convoy and both went through a red light.
0:39:39 > 0:39:40SIRENS WAIL
0:39:40 > 0:39:42Left, left!
0:39:42 > 0:39:46This footage shows a Vauxhall Insignia and a Mercedes
0:39:46 > 0:39:50jumping a red light in the Chadderton area of Manchester.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53It was to give John Andrew a vital breakthrough.
0:39:53 > 0:39:58So, the officers tried to stop both the vehicles, at which point,
0:39:58 > 0:40:02there was a Mercedes that tried to block the police officers in.
0:40:02 > 0:40:03He's off!
0:40:03 > 0:40:06While the second car, which was a Vauxhall Insignia,
0:40:06 > 0:40:07made off from the police,
0:40:07 > 0:40:10so there was a brief pursuit where the police car chased
0:40:10 > 0:40:14the Vauxhall Insignia, which was sort of abandoned nearby,
0:40:14 > 0:40:18which two males were seen to abandon and run off from the vehicle,
0:40:18 > 0:40:19so, after a brief pursuit,
0:40:19 > 0:40:21the officers were able to capture both males,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24which was Richard Clancy and Matthew Cheston,
0:40:24 > 0:40:27both of which were dressed in police officer-type uniform
0:40:27 > 0:40:30and then a further search of the vehicle recovered numerous
0:40:30 > 0:40:33other police related items such as handcuffs, body armour,
0:40:33 > 0:40:35and, nearby where they'd been arrested,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38false police identification was found as well
0:40:38 > 0:40:39with both the males' pictures on,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42giving the impression that, once they had everything on,
0:40:42 > 0:40:44they would look like genuine police officers.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46SIRENS WAIL
0:40:46 > 0:40:49The car was pulled in for forensic examination...
0:40:49 > 0:40:51and it was full of evidence linking
0:40:51 > 0:40:53the fake police offices to the crimes.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59Connor Smith-Macphee had made a crucial mistake.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02We'd linked him to the Vauxhall Insignia as he'd actually
0:41:02 > 0:41:06rented that out and his passport was found in the vehicle.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08Connor Smith-Macphee was arrested.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11A search of his rented address revealed these burnt out
0:41:11 > 0:41:16jewellery trays linking him to the fake police officer job in Preston.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19We were happy we had our bogus police officers in custody.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Whilst they were in custody being processed and being interviewed,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25another offence was reported of bogus police officers.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28But this time the description given to the police was of
0:41:28 > 0:41:31a black male suspect.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34They knew there was another faker out there, but who was he?
0:41:34 > 0:41:38Roy reviewed his surveillance footage of Connor Smith-Macphee.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42He captured him meeting up with this man, Kelvin Raymond.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44On that particular day,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47he went to the Farnworth area of Bolton where he met up with
0:41:47 > 0:41:50a number of males, one of them we later identified as Kelvin Raymond.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52SIRENS WAIL
0:41:58 > 0:42:01A raid on Raymond's flat revealed jackets containing warrant
0:42:01 > 0:42:05cards, victims' mobiles and wads of cash.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08They knew they had another fake policeman.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Kelvin Raymond got sentenced to nine years in jail.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18And today the hard work of the real police has paid off.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21The rest of gang has been sentenced.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25Connor Smith-Macphee got nine years for his part in the crimes.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Most of the others were sent down for nearly a decade each.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35All defendants have received lengthy custodial sentences
0:42:35 > 0:42:39and I'm pleased because it sends out a message to the victims
0:42:39 > 0:42:42that this has been taken seriously, the matter's been dealt with.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45It's really important for public confidence.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47We need to have the public have trust in us.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49If people are going to breach that trust
0:42:49 > 0:42:50and pretend to be police officers,
0:42:50 > 0:42:54it completely undermines the good work that we do as the police.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.