0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to a world where nothing is as it seems.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Welcome to Fake Britain.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10- Police! - SHOUTING
0:00:20 > 0:00:22- Get down! Get down! - Get on the floor now.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Put your hands behind your back now.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Here at the Fake Britain house,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30we'll reveal the fakes that are flooding the market,
0:00:30 > 0:00:34conning people like you and me, and making money for the criminals.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36We'll investigate the fraudsters who are selling us something
0:00:36 > 0:00:39that isn't real and could be dangerous,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42and we'll help you avoid falling for a fake.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45Today on Fake Britain,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49the fake mattress that won't leave you with a spring in your step...
0:00:49 > 0:00:52I'm guessing that is supposed to be my memory foam.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55I don't think there's any memory in that.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59..the fake laser pens causing havoc in the sky and on the ground...
0:00:59 > 0:01:03I was shining it around and this blur just came into my eye.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06There's a hole in his eye from the laser pen.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08..the fake airport valet service
0:01:08 > 0:01:10that took one man's car for a joyride...
0:01:10 > 0:01:13The way that they were driving - quite easily killed somebody
0:01:13 > 0:01:15or had a serious accident.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25"If you want to get a good night's sleep,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28"get a good mattress," so many people say.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31And a good one can cost hundreds of pounds -
0:01:31 > 0:01:34well worth it if you think you'll get those quality 40 winks.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37But not all is as it seems in the land of nod.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39We've discovered the lengths some fakers will go to
0:01:39 > 0:01:42to sell us a fake mattress.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47We spend a third of our lives in bed
0:01:47 > 0:01:50and we spend millions each year on mattresses.
0:01:50 > 0:01:55A good double mattress can cost from £500 upwards,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57going into the thousands,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00but the fakers are giving some customers a rude awakening.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01Come on.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Sarah Hewlett from Worcester was in need of a new one,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06and opportunity was about to knock.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09A van pulled up. He was a very nice man.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Asked if we were interested in buying a mattress.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15Dreams mattress, looked lovely,
0:02:15 > 0:02:20and the RRP on it was 899
0:02:20 > 0:02:23and he offered it to me for 130.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27The salesman said the mattress contained high-quality memory foam
0:02:27 > 0:02:29and the label said it was made
0:02:29 > 0:02:33by a well-known British company called Dreams.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37It was a bargain. A mattress isn't the most exciting thing.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39I didn't really want to spend that much money on it.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43And to get a good-quality mattress at that price,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45I'd have been a fool not to take it.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49Sarah was particularly tempted by the memory foam,
0:02:49 > 0:02:51which moulds to the shape of your body
0:02:51 > 0:02:53to give extra support as you sleep.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56So, she bought the mattress and began sleeping on it.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00But when she showed it to a friend, he was concerned.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03He was like, "How much have you paid for this?"
0:03:03 > 0:03:05I said, "I've paid £130.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07"It's supposed to be 899."
0:03:07 > 0:03:08I said, "It's a memory foam."
0:03:08 > 0:03:10And he's like,
0:03:10 > 0:03:11"That's not a memory foam."
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Now highly suspicious of her new mattress,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Sarah decided to seek advice online.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Looked on the internet and then you read all the scams.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22You know, man pulls up in van,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26says he needed to off-load so he can get home.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Every box was ticked, as in I'd been done.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31I'd been scammed on a mattress.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35So I took some photos and I e-mailed Dreams
0:03:35 > 0:03:40and I received an e-mail to say it definitely wasn't one of theirs.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Sarah hadn't bought a high-end, memory foam mattress.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46She had, in fact, bought a fake.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50She immediately contacted the seller to return it and get a refund.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53He got quite abusive on the phone,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57said I was very wrong, that it was what he said it was.
0:03:57 > 0:04:03He wouldn't give me an address and then put the phone down on me.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06The mattress Sarah bought was labelled to look like
0:04:06 > 0:04:08one from leading bed brand Dreams.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Mike Logue is the chief executive.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16He's furious that fakers have targeted his company's products
0:04:16 > 0:04:20and are duping customers on their own doorsteps.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22This is not just a Dreams issue, this is an industry issue
0:04:22 > 0:04:26where we have people knocking on doors selling mattresses
0:04:26 > 0:04:30and then the customers contacting us after that period
0:04:30 > 0:04:33to let us know that they've been duped.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35The problem is widespread.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38'Well, there goes the Dreams van.'
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Here, surveillance footage shows a fake Dreams van
0:04:41 > 0:04:43brazenly being driven around.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Dreams have confirmed this is not one of their vehicles.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49These fakers are quite sophisticated.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53We refreshed our brand logo just over two years ago,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57and within three weeks, I had pictures of vans sent to me
0:04:57 > 0:04:59with our new logo on them on these fake vehicles.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04The authorities are working hard to crack down
0:05:04 > 0:05:07on the sellers of fake mattresses.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09At Enfield Trading Standards in North London,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11they recently received a tip-off
0:05:11 > 0:05:13about yet another door-to-door salesman
0:05:13 > 0:05:16thought to be selling fake Dreams mattresses.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Karl Schultz led the investigation.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22We had a phone call from the police.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24An individual by the name of Elias Stanley
0:05:24 > 0:05:28was involved in an altercation with a resident in the area
0:05:28 > 0:05:32when he was going round trying to sell mattresses door-to-door.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Trading Standards seized the mattress seller's van,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37which was branded with the Dreams logo.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41The police made enquiries with Dreams and they became aware
0:05:41 > 0:05:44that Elias was not an employee of Dreams Ltd
0:05:44 > 0:05:46and the vehicle was not part of the fleets.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50Elias Stanley was posing as a genuine Dreams salesman,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52when, in fact, he was a fake.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Trading Standards were informed and they set up a trap.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59They invited Stanley to come in and collect his van.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01He turned up with his father Fred Stanley.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03They had arrived in a separate van,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06which was liveried up with Slumber Dreams,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10and they were wearing clothing with the Dreams logo on it.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12The two vans were searched
0:06:12 > 0:06:15and Trading Standards found 21 mattresses,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17all branded with the Dreams logo.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Both father and son were arrested.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22They were essentially caught red-handed.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26they were wearing clothing with a fake Dreams logo
0:06:26 > 0:06:28and the vans were liveried up with the Dreams logo,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31when they are not employees of it.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34The mattresses had been bought unbranded
0:06:34 > 0:06:38from a budget supplier for around £75 each.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41The Stanleys then added fake Dreams labels
0:06:41 > 0:06:45and sold them on for up to £999 each,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48potentially a 1,200% mark-up.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52The pair were charged with offences under the Trade Marks Act.
0:06:52 > 0:06:57They pleaded guilty and received fines totalling £3,500.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01It's quite satisfying to know that we've removed these products
0:07:01 > 0:07:03from the market in this case,
0:07:03 > 0:07:06and that the perpetrators have been punished accordingly.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11And it's not just the Dreams brand that's being faked.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Jessica Atkinson is director of the National Bed Federation,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17which represents the UK bed industry.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21She regularly investigates reports of fake mattresses
0:07:21 > 0:07:27and makes test purchases to try and keep one step ahead of the fakers.
0:07:27 > 0:07:28We bought this off the internet.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32It's described as a 3,000-pocket spring,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34memory foam mattress.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Pocket springs are individually wrapped springs
0:07:38 > 0:07:40that move independently in a mattress,
0:07:40 > 0:07:42providing extra comfort.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46The more springs, the more luxurious the mattress.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47But is this one a fake?
0:07:47 > 0:07:50There's only one way to find out - look inside.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54We've opened it up and what we've discovered is
0:07:54 > 0:07:57it doesn't have 3,000 pocket springs in it.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00In fact, it's just got 644 springs.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02It's a very basic,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06lowest-possible quality pocket spring unit.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10This mattress has less than a fifth of the number of springs
0:08:10 > 0:08:12that it was advertised as having.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14What about the memory foam?
0:08:15 > 0:08:19We were told this had a luxury, deep layer of memory foam
0:08:19 > 0:08:2225mm to 50mm deep.
0:08:22 > 0:08:27Well, as you can see, it is, at best, 6mm or 7mm,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30which isn't really enough to produce any of the benefits
0:08:30 > 0:08:35which people look for when they're buying memory foam, and expect.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39The mattress is a fake, and not a very good one.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42I think this confirms that companies like this
0:08:42 > 0:08:44are deliberately misleading people
0:08:44 > 0:08:47because they know most of us are not going to cut open
0:08:47 > 0:08:48our mattresses to check.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51So, as far as they're concerned,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54getting the sale is more important than telling the truth.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Paying too much for an uncomfortable fake mattress
0:08:58 > 0:09:01could be the least of a consumer's worries.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Back at Dreams, Mike Logue is concerned that the sellers
0:09:04 > 0:09:08of fake mattresses could be putting people in danger.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12Let's be clear - reputable retailers do not sell mattresses door-to-door.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15There is no protection in that,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18so customers put themselves at risk buying these products.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Some fakers have been found to be selling used mattresses
0:09:23 > 0:09:24up to ten years old,
0:09:24 > 0:09:30re-covered to look like new and then sold as genuine, high-end products.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32That is just appalling that a new cover
0:09:32 > 0:09:36would be put on an old mattress, and the health implications for that
0:09:36 > 0:09:39of people breathing, you know, during their sleep...
0:09:40 > 0:09:44For Sarah, who was duped into buying a fake Dreams mattress,
0:09:44 > 0:09:45the idea is horrifying.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48The thought of what could be on that mattress
0:09:48 > 0:09:50just doesn't bear thinking about.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55You just think of, like, bodily fluids, fleas.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59To put her mind at rest, Sarah's decided to cut open
0:09:59 > 0:10:03her fake mattress to see what's really inside.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Springs. Not very big springs, but we have springs.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09That blue - I'm guessing
0:10:09 > 0:10:12that is what's supposed to be my memory foam.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15I don't think there's any memory in that.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Does that look like an £899 mattress?
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Um, no.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Fake mattresses pose another more serious safety risk.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28You can expect a genuine mattress from a reputable retailer
0:10:28 > 0:10:31to be fully fire-retardant. It's the law.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32But if you buy a fake,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35there's no guarantee it will meet the same standards.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37This is a huge issue for the consumer.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41It could be the fire-retardancy isn't there.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45It would only take one mattress that isn't fire-retardant
0:10:45 > 0:10:49to have an issue in this country and we would all know about it.
0:10:51 > 0:10:52Here on Fake Britain,
0:10:52 > 0:10:56we've seen how some fake mattresses are seriously dangerous.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58In this flammability test carried out
0:10:58 > 0:11:01by Lancashire Fire and Rescue, the genuine mattress
0:11:01 > 0:11:04on the left self-extinguished quickly,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06while the fake on the right went up in flames
0:11:06 > 0:11:08and continued to burn fiercely.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13If one of these fakes were to be involved in a house fire,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16the consequences could be catastrophic.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Despite the potential risks, for now,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Sarah is stuck with her fake mattress.
0:11:24 > 0:11:25I've had to keep the mattress
0:11:25 > 0:11:28because I haven't been able to afford to replace it,
0:11:28 > 0:11:29and, yeah, every time I go to bed,
0:11:29 > 0:11:33I'm, like, reminded that I've bought a fake mattress.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42This may look like a pen, but it's not.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44It's actually a laser,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47the sort that's often used for teaching or giving presentations.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50But because it's a laser, there are very strict rules
0:11:50 > 0:11:53on the strength of the beam that's being sold.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55A powerful laser is potentially very dangerous.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58The power is usually indicated on the label here,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00but these labels are being faked,
0:12:00 > 0:12:02and that means lasers powerful enough
0:12:02 > 0:12:04to cause very serious damage to eyesight
0:12:04 > 0:12:07could be on sale on a high street near you.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15Laser pens come in all different shapes and sizes,
0:12:15 > 0:12:17and when it comes to the size, they're getting bigger,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19more powerful and more dangerous.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Johnny Marshall and his mum Angela were at a local fair
0:12:23 > 0:12:26when they saw one that Johnny wanted to buy.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28I had been asking about this laser pen
0:12:28 > 0:12:31for about the last 20 minutes.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36He has had laser pointers before. He's very curious.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38And, to be honest, when we bought it,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40didn't really think anything of it.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Keen to play with his new gadget,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Johnny powered it up the moment he got it home.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48I was shining it around and I shone it in my eye
0:12:48 > 0:12:51to see, like, how strong it was,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54and then, about quarter of a second later,
0:12:54 > 0:13:00I blinked and then I realised this blur just came into my eye.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Like a purpley, bluey black spot.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Johnny thought maybe he was just a bit dazzled by the laser pen.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10So, I left it for two days to just go away,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12but, actually, it didn't.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16Whenever I was focusing, like, maybe small writing,
0:13:16 > 0:13:21this blur just kept going over what I was focusing on
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and I kept trying to blink it away.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28But when Johnny's blurred vision didn't improve,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30mum Angela phoned an optician.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32"I've got to come in," I said. "I'll just wait."
0:13:32 > 0:13:35They were very, very good. They took some pictures
0:13:35 > 0:13:37and they said that there was a mark at the back of his eye.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40And they sent us straight to Moorfields Eye Hospital
0:13:40 > 0:13:44where I had to get it checked with the proper, like,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47computer scanner and take pictures of my eye.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52The laser pen had seriously damaged Johnny's left eye.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54There's a hole in his eye anyway.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56There will always be a hole in his eye,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59that will never disappear, from the laser pen.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Angela thinks that things could have been a lot worse
0:14:02 > 0:14:05if he hadn't been wearing glasses at the time.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07The light was slightly refracted
0:14:07 > 0:14:10and they believe that actually could have been what saved his eye.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14If my glasses weren't that thick and strong,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18then I could actually have been blind.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23It was millimetres away from the central vision.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27Johnny now has to have regular eye examinations at Moorfields,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29a specialist eye hospital in London.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31It's cleared up a small bit,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34but we're not sure if the gap will close up
0:14:34 > 0:14:37or if it will just stay as a small blur.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42After the accident, Angela looked more closely at the laser pen
0:14:42 > 0:14:45and it became clear it should never have been on sale.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48It was labelled as being one milliwatt in power,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52which is the legal limit for laser pens to be sold in this country,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55but, in fact, it was much more powerful than that.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57The laser was a Class 3B laser.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59It's up to 500 milliwatts,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02and that's what has actually done all the damage to his eye.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06We're angry, because it was sold on a pocket-money stall. £6.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10And if it hadn't been faked, it would never have happened.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13You don't know what you're getting. There can be fake goods
0:15:13 > 0:15:16and that's what the one which damaged his eye was.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Laser pens aren't just a danger on the ground.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22Since we last featured them on Fake Britain,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26there's been a reported spike in the number of airline pilots
0:15:26 > 0:15:29being temporarily blinded by increasingly powerful lasers
0:15:29 > 0:15:31shone into their cabins.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Steve Landells was a pilot for over two decades.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40He's now flight safety specialist at BALPA,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43the British Airline Pilots Association,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46and he's concerned about the number of laser attacks on aircraft.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52We've seen the number of laser attacks on UK aircraft
0:15:52 > 0:15:53gradually increase over the years.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Last year, the Civil Aviation Authority
0:15:56 > 0:16:00have told us that there were over 1,400 laser illumination events
0:16:00 > 0:16:03on UK aircraft in the UK. Now, that's more than four a day.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08In one recent incident, a Virgin Atlantic pilot
0:16:08 > 0:16:11was forced to return his New York-bound plane to Heathrow
0:16:11 > 0:16:15after a laser beam was shone in his eyes and caused retinal damage.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19The problem is, when you shine a laser at an aircraft,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22not only are you breaking the law, you're endangering lives.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Landing an aircraft at night is a demanding manoeuvre.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28If, all of a sudden, you end up with this bright flash in the cockpit,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31then you've lost your night vision, so your only option then as a pilot
0:16:31 > 0:16:33is to hand over control to the other pilot
0:16:33 > 0:16:36in the hope that they haven't been affected as badly as you have.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Potentially, you're putting the lives
0:16:38 > 0:16:41of everyone on board that aircraft in danger.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45Steve is concerned about rapid advances in laser technology.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49The power of the lasers is increasing so rapidly.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50A few years ago,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53the most powerful lasers were a few hundred milliwatts,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57and now we're seeing lasers well over two, three, four watts -
0:16:57 > 0:16:5950, 100, even 120 times more powerful,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02but they're still being advertised as one-milliwatt.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Despite the nationwide crack down on the sale of powerful laser pens,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09potentially dangerous fakes
0:17:09 > 0:17:12are still widely available for sale online.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Just going onto the internet now, here's one - a one-milliwatt laser.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18It may well be one-milliwatt,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20but it talks about military grade and ten-mile range.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23It's either super high-powered or it's one-milliwatt.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25This is a big worry. When people are buying
0:17:25 > 0:17:27what they think are one-milliwatt lasers,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29they're actually getting things that are far more powerful.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Cheap lasers like this, which could appeal to children,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35are often more powerful than they claim to be.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38But it's not just the fakes Steve's concerned about.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42People actively seeking weapons-grade lasers
0:17:42 > 0:17:44are also spoiled for choice.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48He's managed to buy a dangerously powerful laser pen online.
0:17:48 > 0:17:49Because it's labelled and sold
0:17:49 > 0:17:52as far more powerful than one-milliwatt,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55it's illegal for anyone to sell this laser,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58but it's not illegal to carry it.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01In my right hand, I have a one-milliwatt laser.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Now, that is deemed by Public Health England
0:18:03 > 0:18:05to be a safe level of power for a laser,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and this is the sort of thing you'd get in presentations.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10That's the sort of thing that is OK.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12In my left hand, I have something completely different.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Now, this is 2,500 times the power of that.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Now, this can injure someone - injure someone's eye -
0:18:18 > 0:18:22at nearly a kilometre. It's a weapon and there's no need
0:18:22 > 0:18:24for it to be available to the public.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Steve had the laser pen tested
0:18:27 > 0:18:30and the results were even worse than he thought.
0:18:30 > 0:18:31The scientist who tested it said
0:18:31 > 0:18:33he had never seen anything quite like this.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36It's actually a very well-made laser,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40very long range and it has no use other than as a weapon.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42So, actually, I disabled it
0:18:42 > 0:18:44by taking the battery terminals out of here,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46so this can never be used as a laser again.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49We just kept the shell to show what is available
0:18:49 > 0:18:52and, really, what shouldn't be available.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Steve's findings and his experience as an airline pilot
0:18:55 > 0:18:57with hundreds of passengers' lives in his hands
0:18:57 > 0:19:00is leading him to push for a change in the law.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02So, we're looking to have a law introduced
0:19:02 > 0:19:05that gives the police the power to stop and search,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07and if anyone's carrying something like that,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09we'd be looking for prison sentences.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19When you're going on holiday, there's a lot to think about.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22If you're flying, then parking the car at the airport
0:19:22 > 0:19:25can be a time-consuming hassle you can do without.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29That's why more of us are using airport meet-and-greet services.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33Turn up, hand over the keys and your car is driven to a secure,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36locked compound, so it's kept safe until you return.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39But what if the company's promises are fake?
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Do you really know what's happening to your car while you're away?
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Richard Bone, from Reading, takes care of his car.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51It's a nice, new Mercedes.
0:19:51 > 0:19:52He was due to jet off on holiday
0:19:52 > 0:19:55and needed to find a safe and reliable way
0:19:55 > 0:19:58of dropping his car off at Gatwick Airport.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Richard searched online and found an airport
0:20:00 > 0:20:05meet-and-greet parking service called Air Parking Ltd.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07It was a very professional-looking site
0:20:07 > 0:20:08with all the certificates all over it,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10and it looked, really, a professional firm,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and that was what I was going for -
0:20:12 > 0:20:15something that was secure and looked good.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Air Parking Ltd made promises on their website
0:20:18 > 0:20:21to park customers' cars in a proper, secure car park
0:20:21 > 0:20:23with regular security patrols.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Richard assumed his car would be safe.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29One of the things we were looking for was really the 24-hour security
0:20:29 > 0:20:33in a secure environment so we could leave our car with peace of mind.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35So, Richard booked the service,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38dropped the car off with Air Parking Ltd's representative,
0:20:38 > 0:20:42and boarded his flight, thinking his car was being well cared for.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48When he got back from holiday, there was a problem.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50When we took the car to the airport,
0:20:50 > 0:20:54it was nice and clean, in perfect condition.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57When it got returned to us, it was covered in mud.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00I was very annoyed when I saw the state of the car,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04and actually said to the guy that was dropping it off, but he said,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08oh, it's nothing to do with him, and just gave me the keys and left.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Richard was suspicious. Why would there be mud on his car
0:21:12 > 0:21:15if it had been parked in a clean, secure car park?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17So he decided to investigate.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Luckily, like many motorists,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Richard has a dashboard camera fitted to his car
0:21:24 > 0:21:28for insurance purposes in case he has an accident.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30The camera works by, as soon as you turn the ignition on,
0:21:30 > 0:21:31it starts recording...
0:21:33 > 0:21:35..and just keeps recording all the time you're driving.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40The automatic dashcam had recorded everything that had happened
0:21:40 > 0:21:43to the car while Richard was away on holiday...
0:21:44 > 0:21:47..so he sat down and watched.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Looking at the chap driving out of the short-term car parking
0:21:53 > 0:21:55at Gatwick Airport.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59The speed's up in the top corner there.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02It's 32mph at the moment.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05As the meet-and-greet employee driving Richard's car
0:22:05 > 0:22:08begins the journey back from the airport to the car park,
0:22:08 > 0:22:09it seems he's not alone.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15This is where he seems to be racing with the white car in front of him.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18So, I think it is one of their other drivers,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20and so he's kind of racing him back to the parking.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23The two drivers are clearly enjoying
0:22:23 > 0:22:28racing their clients' powerful cars at ever increasing speeds.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31This is where they really start to put their foot down now,
0:22:31 > 0:22:33and you can see the white car's sped off.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36He's doing 70mph to catch him up.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38As he comes underneath the bridge, he's doing 80mph.
0:22:40 > 0:22:46And then outside the bridge and the speed now is 107.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Keeps speeding down the road. 110. Flying past cars.
0:22:49 > 0:22:56117.6 as he tears down a very busy stretch of dual carriageway.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00The man is racing at almost 50mph
0:23:00 > 0:23:03over the speed limit in Richard's car.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06He appears to give no thought at all
0:23:06 > 0:23:10to either the car or the safety of other road users.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12If he'd been caught at this speed,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15he'd have received an automatic driving ban.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19He's doing 84mph then down a tiny little country lane
0:23:19 > 0:23:21with side roads and people's drives.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23A cyclist or a horse or something like that
0:23:23 > 0:23:26wouldn't stand a chance the way he's driving.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29He jumps over a bridge there where the car almost leaves the road.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34He's just driving insanely.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Eventually, Richard's car arrives at the apparently secure place
0:23:38 > 0:23:41where it will be parked while he's on holiday.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Except it's not a secure car park at all.
0:23:44 > 0:23:45It's a field.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49This is advertised as secure car parking
0:23:49 > 0:23:53with 24-hour monitored car parking area.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55And as you can see from this shot, this is just an open field.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59You can see there's no fencing, lighting or security whatsoever.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02I was furious. Absolutely furious.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04I couldn't believe someone would do this to my car
0:24:04 > 0:24:08when I'd handed it over to them and made them responsible for it,
0:24:08 > 0:24:13and then for them to treat my car like this was just appalling.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18The promises the company had made on their website were completely fake,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22but Richard wasn't the only one to have his car dumped in a field.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Over at West Sussex Trading Standards,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Officer Richard Sargeant had been receiving dozens of complaints
0:24:28 > 0:24:30about Air Parking Ltd.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34We had quite a few complaints coming in from consumers who had been,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37in their mind, ripped off because they had suspicions
0:24:37 > 0:24:42that these cars had been parked in unsecure locations.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Some customers suspected company employees
0:24:45 > 0:24:49were using their expensive cars for long-haul, personal journeys.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Some vehicles had excess mileage.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55We're talking sort of between 500 and 1,000 miles extra
0:24:55 > 0:24:57over a week period.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59In truth, customers had no idea
0:24:59 > 0:25:01what their cars might have been used for.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05Even worse, some cars were returned damaged,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07and in some cases, not returned at all,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09as they'd apparently been stolen.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13So, Trading Standards decided to investigate.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15They booked a car in with Air Parking Ltd
0:25:15 > 0:25:17and fitted it with a tracking device
0:25:17 > 0:25:20so they could see what happened after it left the airport.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24Would the service they received live up to the claims on the website?
0:25:24 > 0:25:30The company are parked in a location which was not far from the airport,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32but it was certainly not secure.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36Our officers managed to walk up to the car into this location.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40We managed to take photographs and we were unchallenged.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43So, anybody could walk up to the car
0:25:43 > 0:25:46and touch it or scratch it or even break into it.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Trading Standards now had clear evidence
0:25:50 > 0:25:52that the company was breaking its promises
0:25:52 > 0:25:55about keeping customers' cars secure.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59We went to the car park where Richard's car,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02and countless others, had been dumped.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06Well, this is the location the officers went to.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11This was filled with cars parked by Air Parking Ltd.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14This is where we found the very expensive cars -
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Range Rovers and Audis and Mercedes -
0:26:18 > 0:26:23which were either unlocked or they had car windows down,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26so anybody could access them.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28As the officers explored the site unchallenged,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31they found something even more worrying.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36We saw buckets filled with car keys and - surprise, surprise -
0:26:36 > 0:26:39these were actually the car keys for the vehicles on site.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44The keys were literally left in a bucket in the open air.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Anybody could walk into this field from the roadside
0:26:47 > 0:26:50and help themselves to whatever key they wanted.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53There was nobody patrolling the area whatsoever.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56The claims the company were making were totally fake.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01The directors of Air Parking Ltd pleaded guilty to eight charges
0:27:01 > 0:27:04of misleading customers and were fined £6,000
0:27:04 > 0:27:07and ordered to pay back another £34,000
0:27:07 > 0:27:10under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13But they're not the only fake airport parking company out there.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Fake Britain has seen reports of fake parking companies
0:27:16 > 0:27:19at Heathrow and Manchester Airports, too,
0:27:19 > 0:27:23with cars left unsecured or returned with too many miles on the clock,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26and sometimes even badly damaged.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29The trade sector, we're still carrying on with our investigations,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31we've still got some live cases going ahead.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34And the detriment to consumers is significant.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35They've got expensive vehicles
0:27:35 > 0:27:38and they're trusting these companies to do a good job.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42Unfortunately, that's not the case.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Richard clearly picked the wrong company,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47but he's still counting his blessings.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49The way that the company abused the car,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52potentially could have damaged the car, but more importantly,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55could have quite easily killed somebody or had a serious accident
0:27:55 > 0:27:59in the way that they were driving. It was extremely irresponsible.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.