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.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20..and the fake car racing harness putting drivers' lives at risk.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22You could break your neck, break your arms, legs.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24Doesn't bear thinking about.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35"If you want to get a good night's sleep,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37"get a good mattress," so many people say.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40And a good one can cost hundreds of pounds -
0:01:40 > 0:01:43well worth it if you think you'll get those quality 40 winks.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46But not all is as it seems in the land of nod.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49We've discovered the lengths some fakers will go to
0:01:49 > 0:01:51to sell us a fake mattress.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56We spend a third of our lives in bed
0:01:56 > 0:02:00and we spend millions each year on mattresses.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04A good double mattress can cost from £500 upwards,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06going into the thousands,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09but the fakers are giving some customers a rude awakening.
0:02:09 > 0:02:10Come on.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Sarah Hewlett from Worcester was in need of a new one,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16and opportunity was about to knock.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18A van pulled up. He was a very nice man.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Asked if we were interested in buying a mattress.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Dreams mattress, looked lovely,
0:02:24 > 0:02:29and the RRP on it was 899
0:02:29 > 0:02:33and he offered it to me for 130.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36The salesman said the mattress contained high-quality memory foam
0:02:36 > 0:02:38and the label said it was made
0:02:38 > 0:02:42by a well-known British company called Dreams.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46It was a bargain. A mattress isn't the most exciting thing.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48I didn't really want to spend that much money on it.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52And to get a good-quality mattress at that price,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54I'd have been a fool not to take it.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Sarah was particularly tempted by the memory foam,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00which moulds to the shape of your body
0:03:00 > 0:03:03to give extra support as you sleep.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05So, she bought the mattress and began sleeping on it.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08But when she showed it to a friend, he was concerned.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11He was like, "How much
0:03:11 > 0:03:12"have you paid for this?"
0:03:12 > 0:03:14I said, "I've paid £130.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16"It's supposed to be 899."
0:03:16 > 0:03:18I said, "It's a memory foam."
0:03:18 > 0:03:19And he's like,
0:03:19 > 0:03:20"That's not a memory foam."
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Now highly suspicious of her new mattress,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Sarah decided to seek advice online.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Looked on the internet and then you read all the scams.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31You know, man pulls up in van,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35says he needed to off-load so he can get home.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Every box was ticked, as in I'd been done.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40I'd been scammed on a mattress.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45Sarah began to fear the worst, but she needed to be sure.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48I was still hoping it wasn't a fake mattress,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52so I took some photos and I e-mailed Dreams
0:03:52 > 0:03:57and I received an e-mail to say it definitely wasn't one of theirs.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Sarah hadn't bought a high-end, memory foam mattress.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04She had, in fact, bought a fake.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08She immediately contacted the seller to return it and get a refund.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10He got quite abusive on the phone,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13said I was very wrong, that it was what he said it was.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19He wouldn't give me an address and then put the phone down on me.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23The mattress Sarah bought was labelled to look like
0:04:23 > 0:04:25one from leading bed brand Dreams.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Mike Logue is the chief executive.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34He's furious that fakers have targeted his company's products
0:04:34 > 0:04:37and are duping customers on their own doorsteps.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40This is not just a Dreams issue, this is an industry issue
0:04:40 > 0:04:44where we have people knocking on doors selling mattresses
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and then the customers contacting us after that period
0:04:47 > 0:04:50to let us know that they've been duped.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52The problem is widespread.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'Well, there goes the Dreams van.'
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Here, surveillance footage shows a fake Dreams van
0:04:58 > 0:05:00brazenly being driven around.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Dreams have confirmed this is not one of their vehicles.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06These fakers are quite sophisticated.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11We refreshed our brand logo just over two years ago,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14and within three weeks, I had pictures of vans sent to me
0:05:14 > 0:05:17with our new logo on them on these fake vehicles.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21The authorities are working hard to crack down
0:05:21 > 0:05:24on the sellers of fake mattresses.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26At Enfield Trading Standards in North London,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28they recently received a tip-off
0:05:28 > 0:05:31about yet another door-to-door salesman
0:05:31 > 0:05:33thought to be selling fake Dreams mattresses.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Karl Schultz led the investigation.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40We had a phone call from the police.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42An individual by the name of Elias Stanley
0:05:42 > 0:05:45was involved in an altercation with a resident in the area
0:05:45 > 0:05:49when he was going round trying to sell mattresses door-to-door.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Trading Standards seized the mattress seller's van,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54which was branded with the Dreams logo.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58The police made enquiries with Dreams and they became aware
0:05:58 > 0:06:01that Elias was not an employee of Dreams Ltd
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and the vehicle was not part of the fleets.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Elias Stanley was posing as a genuine Dreams salesman,
0:06:07 > 0:06:09when, in fact, he was a fake.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Trading Standards were informed and they set up a trap.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16They invited Stanley to come in and collect his van.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18He turned up with his father Fred Stanley.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21They had arrived in a separate van,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23which was liveried up with Slumber Dreams,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27and they were wearing clothing with the Dreams logo on it.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29The two vans were searched
0:06:29 > 0:06:32and Trading Standards found 21 mattresses,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34all branded with the Dreams logo.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Both father and son were arrested.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40They were essentially caught red-handed.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42They had mattresses in the back of two vans
0:06:42 > 0:06:45with fake Dreams logos on,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48they were wearing clothing with a fake Dreams logo
0:06:48 > 0:06:51and the vans were liveried up with the Dreams logo,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53when they are not employees of it.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56The mattresses had been bought unbranded
0:06:56 > 0:07:00from a budget supplier for around £75 each.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03The Stanleys then added fake Dreams labels
0:07:03 > 0:07:07and sold them on for up to £999 each,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10potentially a 1,200% mark-up.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14The pair were charged with offences under the Trade Marks Act.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19They pleaded guilty and received fines totalling £3,500.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23It's quite satisfying to know that we've removed these products
0:07:23 > 0:07:25from the market in this case,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28and that the perpetrators have been punished accordingly.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33And it's not just the Dreams brand that's being faked.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Jessica Atkinson is director of the National Bed Federation,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39which represents the UK bed industry.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44She regularly investigates reports of fake mattresses
0:07:44 > 0:07:49and makes test purchases to try and keep one step ahead of the fakers.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51We bought this off the internet.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54It's described as a 3,000 pocket spring,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56memory foam mattress.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Pocket springs are individually wrapped springs
0:08:00 > 0:08:03that move independently in a mattress,
0:08:03 > 0:08:04providing extra comfort.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08The more springs, the more luxurious the mattress.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10But is this one a fake?
0:08:10 > 0:08:13There's only one way to find out - look inside.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17We've opened it up and what we've discovered is
0:08:17 > 0:08:19it doesn't have 3,000 pocket springs in it.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22In fact, it's just got 644 springs.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24It's a very basic,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28lowest possible quality pocket spring unit.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32This mattress has less than a fifth of the number of springs
0:08:32 > 0:08:34that it was advertised as having.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36What about the memory foam?
0:08:37 > 0:08:41We were told this had a luxury, deep layer of memory foam
0:08:41 > 0:08:4425mm to 50mm deep.
0:08:44 > 0:08:50Well, as you can see, it is, at best, 6mm or 7mm,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53which isn't really enough to produce any of the benefits
0:08:53 > 0:08:57which people look for when they're buying memory foam, and expect.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01The mattress is a fake, and not a very good one.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05I think this confirms that companies like this
0:09:05 > 0:09:07are deliberately misleading people
0:09:07 > 0:09:09because they know most of us are not going to cut open
0:09:09 > 0:09:11our mattresses to check.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13So, as far as they're concerned,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16getting the sale is more important than telling the truth.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Paying too much for an uncomfortable fake mattress
0:09:20 > 0:09:23could be the least of a consumer's worries.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Back at Dreams, Mike Logue is concerned that the sellers
0:09:27 > 0:09:30of fake mattresses could be putting people in danger.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35Let's be clear - reputable retailers do not sell mattresses door-to-door.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37There is no protection in that,
0:09:37 > 0:09:41so customers put themselves at risk buying these products.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Some fakers have been found to be selling used mattresses
0:09:45 > 0:09:46up to ten years old,
0:09:46 > 0:09:52re-covered to look like new and then sold as genuine, high-end products.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54That is just appalling that a new cover
0:09:54 > 0:09:58would be put on an old mattress, and the health implications for that
0:09:58 > 0:10:01of people breathing, you know, during their sleep...
0:10:02 > 0:10:06For Sarah, who was duped into buying a fake Dreams mattress,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08the idea is horrifying.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10The thought of what could be on that mattress
0:10:10 > 0:10:12just doesn't bear thinking about.
0:10:12 > 0:10:18You just think of, like, bodily fluids, fleas.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22To put her mind at rest, Sarah's decided to cut open
0:10:22 > 0:10:25her fake mattress to see what's really inside.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30Springs. Not very big springs, but we have springs.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32That blue - I'm guessing
0:10:32 > 0:10:34that is what's supposed to be my memory foam.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37I don't think there's any memory in that.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Does that look like an £899 mattress?
0:10:41 > 0:10:42Um, no.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46Fake mattresses pose another more serious safety risk.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50You can expect a genuine mattress from a reputable retailer
0:10:50 > 0:10:53to be fully fire-retardant. It's the law.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54But if you buy a fake,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57there's no guarantee it will meet the same standards.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59This is a huge issue for the consumer.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03It could be the fire-retardancy isn't there.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07It would only take one mattress that isn't fire-retardant
0:11:07 > 0:11:11to have an issue in this country and we would all know about it.
0:11:14 > 0:11:15Here on Fake Britain,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18we've seen how some fake mattresses are seriously dangerous.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21In this flammability test carried out
0:11:21 > 0:11:24by Lancashire Fire and Rescue, the genuine mattress
0:11:24 > 0:11:26on the left self-extinguished quickly,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28while the fake on the right went up in flames
0:11:28 > 0:11:31and continued to burn fiercely.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35If one of these fakes were to be involved in a house fire,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38the consequences could be catastrophic.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Despite the potential risks, for now,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Sarah is stuck with her fake mattress.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47I've had to keep the mattress
0:11:47 > 0:11:50because I haven't been able to afford to replace it,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52and, yeah, every time I go to bed,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55I'm, like, reminded that I've bought a fake mattress.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04This may look like a pen, but it's not.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06It's actually a laser,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10the sort that's often used for teaching or giving presentations.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13But because it's a laser, there are very strict rules
0:12:13 > 0:12:15on the strength of the beam that's being sold.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18A powerful laser is potentially very dangerous.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21The power is usually indicated on the label here,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23but these labels are being faked,
0:12:23 > 0:12:25and that means lasers powerful enough
0:12:25 > 0:12:27to cause very serious damage to eyesight
0:12:27 > 0:12:30could be on sale on a high street near you.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37Laser pens come in all different shapes and sizes,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40and when it comes to the size, they're getting bigger,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42more powerful and more dangerous.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Johnny Marshall and his mum Angela were at a local fair
0:12:46 > 0:12:48when they saw one that Johnny wanted to buy.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51I had been asking about this laser pen
0:12:51 > 0:12:54for about the last 20 minutes.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58He has had laser pointers before. He's very curious.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00And, to be honest, when we bought it,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03didn't really think anything of it.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Keen to play with his new gadget,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Johnny powered it up the moment he got it home.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11I was shining it around and I shone it in my eye
0:13:11 > 0:13:14to see, like, how strong it was,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17and then, about quarter of a second later,
0:13:17 > 0:13:22I blinked and then I realised this blur just came into my eye.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Like a purpley, bluey black spot.
0:13:25 > 0:13:30Johnny thought maybe he was just a bit dazzled by the laser pen.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33So, I left it for two days to just go away,
0:13:33 > 0:13:34but, actually, it didn't.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Whenever I was focusing, like, maybe small writing,
0:13:38 > 0:13:43this blur just kept going over what I was focusing on
0:13:43 > 0:13:46and I kept trying to blink it away.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50But when Johnny's blurred vision didn't improve,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53mum Angela phoned an optician.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55"I've got to come in," I said. "I'll just wait."
0:13:55 > 0:13:57They were very, very good. They took some pictures
0:13:57 > 0:14:00and they said that there was a mark at the back of his eye.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03And they sent us straight to Moorfields Eye Hospital
0:14:03 > 0:14:06where I had to get it checked with the proper, like,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09computer scanner and take pictures of my eye.
0:14:09 > 0:14:15The laser pen had seriously damaged Johnny's left eye.
0:14:15 > 0:14:16There's a hole in his eye anyway.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18There will always be a hole in his eye,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21that will never disappear, from the laser pen.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Angela thinks that things could have been a lot worse
0:14:24 > 0:14:27if he hadn't been wearing glasses at the time.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29The light was slightly refracted
0:14:29 > 0:14:33and they believe that actually could have been what saved his eye.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37If my glasses weren't that thick and strong,
0:14:37 > 0:14:41then I could actually have been blind.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45It was millimetres away from the central vision.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Johnny now has to have regular eye examinations at Moorfields,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51a specialist eye hospital in London.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53It's cleared up a small bit,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56but we're not sure if the gap will close up
0:14:56 > 0:15:00or if it will just stay as a small blur.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04After the accident, Angela looked more closely at the laser pen
0:15:04 > 0:15:07and it became clear it should never have been on sale.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10It was labelled as being one milliwatt in power,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14which is the legal limit for laser pens to be sold in this country,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17but, in fact, it was much more powerful than that.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19The laser was a Class 3B laser.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21It's up to 500 milliwatts,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24and that's what has actually done all the damage to his eye.
0:15:24 > 0:15:29We're angry, because it was sold on a pocket-money stall. £6.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32And if it hadn't been faked, it would never have happened.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35You don't know what you're getting. There can be fake goods
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and that's what the one which damaged his eye was.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Laser pens aren't just a danger on the ground.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Since we last featured them on Fake Britain,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48there's been a reported spike in the number of airline pilots
0:15:48 > 0:15:52being temporarily blinded by increasingly powerful lasers
0:15:52 > 0:15:53shone into their cabins.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Steve Landells was a pilot for over two decades.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02He's now flight safety specialist at BALPA,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05the British Airline Pilots Association,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08and he's concerned about the number of laser attacks on aircraft.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14We've seen the number of laser attacks on UK aircraft
0:16:14 > 0:16:16gradually increase over the years.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Last year, the Civil Aviation Authority
0:16:18 > 0:16:23have told us that there were over 1,400 laser illumination events
0:16:23 > 0:16:25on UK aircraft in the UK. Now, that's more than four a day.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30In one recent incident, a Virgin Atlantic pilot
0:16:30 > 0:16:34was forced to return his New York-bound plane to Heathrow
0:16:34 > 0:16:38after a laser beam was shone in his eyes and caused retinal damage.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41The problem is, when you shine a laser at an aircraft,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44not only are you breaking the law, you're endangering lives.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Landing an aircraft at night is a demanding manoeuvre.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50If, all of a sudden, you end up with this bright flash in the cockpit,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53then you've lost your night vision, so your only option then as a pilot
0:16:53 > 0:16:55is to hand over control to the other pilot
0:16:55 > 0:16:58in the hope that they haven't been affected as badly as you have.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Potentially, you're putting the lives
0:17:00 > 0:17:03of everyone on board that aircraft in danger.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Steve is concerned about rapid advances in laser technology.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11The power of the lasers is increasing so rapidly.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13A few years ago,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15the most powerful lasers were a few hundred milliwatts,
0:17:15 > 0:17:19and now we're seeing lasers well over two, three, four watts -
0:17:19 > 0:17:2250, 100, even 120 times more powerful,
0:17:22 > 0:17:24but they're still being advertised as one-milliwatt.
0:17:25 > 0:17:30Despite the nationwide crack down on the sale of powerful laser pens,
0:17:30 > 0:17:31potentially dangerous fakes
0:17:31 > 0:17:34are still widely available for sale online.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39Just going onto the internet now, here's one - a one-milliwatt laser.
0:17:39 > 0:17:40It may well be one-milliwatt,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43but it talks about military grade and ten-mile range.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45It's either super high-powered or it's one-milliwatt.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47This is a big worry. When people are buying
0:17:47 > 0:17:49what they think are one-milliwatt lasers,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52they're actually getting things that are far more powerful.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54Cheap lasers like this, which could appeal to children,
0:17:54 > 0:17:58are often more powerful than they claim to be.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01But it's not just the fakes Steve's concerned about.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04People actively seeking weapons-grade lasers
0:18:04 > 0:18:06are also spoiled for choice.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10He's managed to buy a dangerously powerful laser pen online.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Because it's labelled and sold
0:18:12 > 0:18:14as far more powerful than one milliwatt,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17it's illegal for anyone to sell this laser,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20but it's not illegal to carry it.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23In my right hand, I have a one-milliwatt laser.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Now, that is deemed by Public Health England
0:18:25 > 0:18:27to be a safe level of power for a laser,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30and this is the sort of thing you'd get in presentations.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32That's the sort of thing that is OK.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35In my left hand, I have something completely different.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Now, this is 2,500 times the power of that.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Now, this can injure someone - injure someone's eye -
0:18:41 > 0:18:44at nearly a kilometre. It's a weapon and there's no need
0:18:44 > 0:18:46for it to be available to the public.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Steve had the laser pen tested
0:18:50 > 0:18:52and the results were even worse than he thought.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54The scientist who tested it said
0:18:54 > 0:18:56he had never seen anything quite like this.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58It's actually a very well-made laser,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02very long range and it has no use other than as a weapon.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04So, actually, I disabled it
0:19:04 > 0:19:06by taking the battery terminals out of here,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08so this can never be used as a laser again.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11We just kept the shell to show what is available
0:19:11 > 0:19:14and, really, what shouldn't be available.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Steve's findings and his experience as an airline pilot
0:19:17 > 0:19:20with hundreds of passengers' lives in his hands
0:19:20 > 0:19:22is leading him to push for a change in the law.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25So, we're looking to have a law introduced
0:19:25 > 0:19:27that gives the police the power to stop and search,
0:19:27 > 0:19:29and if anyone's carrying something like that,
0:19:29 > 0:19:31we'd be looking for prison sentences.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41When you're going on holiday, there's a lot to think about.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44If you're flying, then parking the car at the airport
0:19:44 > 0:19:47can be a time-consuming hassle you can do without.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51That's why more of us are using airport meet-and-greet services.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55Turn up, hand over the keys and your car is driven to a secure,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59locked compound, so it's kept safe until you return.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02But what if the company's promises are fake?
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Do you really know what's happening to your car while you're away?
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Richard Bone, from Reading, takes care of his car.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13It's a nice, new Mercedes.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15He was due to jet off on holiday
0:20:15 > 0:20:17and needed to find a safe and reliable way
0:20:17 > 0:20:20of dropping his car off at Gatwick Airport.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Richard searched online and found an airport
0:20:23 > 0:20:27meet-and-greet parking service called Air Parking Ltd.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29It was a very professional-looking site
0:20:29 > 0:20:31with all the certificates all over it,
0:20:31 > 0:20:33and it looked, really, a professional firm,
0:20:33 > 0:20:34and that was what I was going for -
0:20:34 > 0:20:37something that was secure and looked good.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Air Parking Ltd made promises on their website
0:20:40 > 0:20:43to park customers' cars in a proper, secure car park
0:20:43 > 0:20:46with regular security patrols.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Richard assumed his car would be safe.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52One of the things we were looking for was really the 24-hour security
0:20:52 > 0:20:55in a secure environment so we could leave our car with peace of mind.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57So, Richard booked the service,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00dropped the car off with Air Parking Ltd's representative,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04and boarded his flight, thinking his car was being well cared for.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11When he got back from holiday, there was a problem.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13When we took the car to the airport,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16it was nice and clean, in perfect condition.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19When it got returned to us, it was covered in mud.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23I was very annoyed when I saw the state of the car,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and actually said to the guy that was dropping it off, but he said,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30oh, it's nothing to do with him, and just gave me the keys and left.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34Richard was suspicious. Why would there be mud on his car
0:21:34 > 0:21:37if it had been parked in a clean, secure car park?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40So, he decided to investigate.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Luckily, like many motorists,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Richard has a dashboard camera fitted to his car
0:21:46 > 0:21:50for insurance purposes in case he has an accident.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52The camera works by, as soon as you turn the ignition on,
0:21:52 > 0:21:54it starts recording...
0:21:55 > 0:21:58..and just keeps recording all the time you're driving.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03The automatic dashcam had recorded everything that had happened
0:22:03 > 0:22:05to the car while Richard was away on holiday...
0:22:06 > 0:22:09..so he sat down and watched.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Looking at the chap driving out of the short-term car parking
0:22:16 > 0:22:17at Gatwick Airport.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21The speed's up in the top corner there.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24It's 32mph at the moment.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27As the meet-and-greet employee driving Richard's car
0:22:27 > 0:22:30begins the journey back from the airport to the car park,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32it seems he's not alone.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37This is where he seems to be racing with the white car in front of him.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40So, I think it is one of their other drivers,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and so he's kind of racing him back to the parking.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46The two drivers are clearly enjoying
0:22:46 > 0:22:50racing their clients' powerful cars at ever increasing speeds.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53This is where they really start to put their foot down now,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55and you can see the white car's sped off.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58He's doing 70mph to catch him up.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01As he comes underneath the bridge, he's doing 80mph.
0:23:02 > 0:23:08And then outside the bridge and the speed now is 107.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Keeps speeding down the road. 110. Flying past cars.
0:23:11 > 0:23:18117.6 as he tears down a very busy stretch of dual carriageway.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22The man is racing at almost 50mph
0:23:22 > 0:23:25over the speed limit in Richard's car.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28He appears to give no thought at all
0:23:28 > 0:23:32to either the car or the safety of other road users.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34If he'd been caught at this speed,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37he'd have received an automatic driving ban.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41He's doing 84mph then down a tiny little country lane
0:23:41 > 0:23:44with side roads and people's drives.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46A cyclist or a horse or something like that
0:23:46 > 0:23:48wouldn't stand a chance the way he's driving.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51He jumps over a bridge there where the car almost leaves the road.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56He's just driving insanely.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00Eventually, Richard's car arrives at the apparently secure place
0:24:00 > 0:24:03where it will be parked while he's on holiday.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Except it's not a secure car park at all.
0:24:06 > 0:24:07It's a field.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11This is advertised as secure car parking
0:24:11 > 0:24:15with 24-hour monitored car parking area.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18And as you can see from this shot, this is just an open field.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21You can see there's no fencing, lighting or security whatsoever.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25I was furious. Absolutely furious.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27I couldn't believe someone would do this to my car
0:24:27 > 0:24:30when I'd handed it over to them and made them responsible for it,
0:24:30 > 0:24:35and then for them to treat my car like this was just appalling.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40The promises the company had made on their website were completely fake,
0:24:40 > 0:24:44but Richard wasn't the only one to have his car dumped in a field.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Over at West Sussex Trading Standards,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Officer Richard Sargeant had been receiving dozens of complaints
0:24:50 > 0:24:53about Air Parking Ltd.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57We had quite a few complaints coming in from consumers who had been,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00in their mind, ripped off because they had suspicions
0:25:00 > 0:25:04that these cars had been parked in unsecure locations.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Some customers suspected company employees
0:25:07 > 0:25:11were using their expensive cars for long-haul, personal journeys.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Some vehicles had excess mileage.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18We're talking sort of between 500 and 1,000 miles extra
0:25:18 > 0:25:19over a week period.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21In truth, customers had no idea
0:25:21 > 0:25:24what their cars might have been used for.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Even worse, some cars were returned damaged,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29and in some cases, not returned at all,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32as they'd apparently been stolen.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35So, Trading Standards decided to investigate.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37They booked a car in with Air Parking Ltd
0:25:37 > 0:25:39and fitted it with a tracking device
0:25:39 > 0:25:43so they could see what happened after it left the airport.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47Would the service they received live up to the claims on the website?
0:25:47 > 0:25:52The company are parked in a location which was not far from the airport,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54but it was certainly not secure.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59Our officers managed to walk up to the car into this location.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03We managed to take photographs and we were unchallenged.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05So, anybody could walk up to the car
0:26:05 > 0:26:09and touch it or scratch it or even break into it.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Trading Standards now had clear evidence
0:26:13 > 0:26:15that the company was breaking its promises
0:26:15 > 0:26:17about keeping customers' cars secure.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22We went to the car park where Richard's car,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25and countless others, had been dumped.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Well, this is the location the officers went to.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33This was filled with cars parked by Air Parking Ltd,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37and at the time we came, this gate wasn't here.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39It was all open, so anybody could walk in.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45On closer inspection, there was no sign of the CCTV cameras
0:26:45 > 0:26:48or security fencing promised by the airport parking company
0:26:48 > 0:26:50on its website.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53This is where we found the very expensive cars -
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Range Rovers and Audis and Mercedes -
0:26:57 > 0:27:02which were either unlocked or they had car windows down,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05so anybody could access them.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07As the officers explored the site unchallenged,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10they found something even more worrying.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15We saw buckets filled with car keys and - surprise, surprise -
0:27:15 > 0:27:18these were actually the car keys for the vehicles on site.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23The keys were literally left in a bucket in the open air.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Anybody could walk into this field from the roadside
0:27:26 > 0:27:29and help themselves to whatever key they wanted.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32The team had never seen anything like it.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34There was no security in place.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37There was nobody patrolling the area whatsoever.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40The claims the company were making were totally fake.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45The directors of Air Parking Ltd pleaded guilty to eight charges
0:27:45 > 0:27:48of misleading customers and were fined £6,000
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and ordered to pay back another £34,000
0:27:51 > 0:27:54under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57But they're not the only fake airport parking company out there.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Fake Britain has seen reports of fake parking companies
0:28:00 > 0:28:03at Heathrow and Manchester Airports, too,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07with cars left unsecured or returned with too many miles on the clock,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10and sometimes even badly damaged.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13The trade sector, we're still carrying on with our investigations,
0:28:13 > 0:28:15we've still got some live cases going ahead.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Traders are acting very shoddily
0:28:18 > 0:28:20and the detriment to consumers is significant.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22They've got expensive vehicles
0:28:22 > 0:28:25and they're trusting these companies to do a good job.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Unfortunately, that's not the case.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31Richard clearly picked the wrong company,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34but he's still counting his blessings.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36The way that the company abused the car,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39potentially could have damaged the car, but more importantly,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42could have quite easily killed somebody or had a serious accident
0:28:42 > 0:28:46in the way that they were driving. It was extremely irresponsible.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55All of these have been seized by Trading Standards.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57They're cracking down on fakes across the country,
0:28:57 > 0:29:00not only because they're illegal and are conning the public,
0:29:00 > 0:29:03but also because many are dangerous.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05Fake Britain followed one operation in London
0:29:05 > 0:29:08which had some very surprising results.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14It's early morning and we're in London.
0:29:14 > 0:29:15Yeah, OK.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18Trading Standards officer David Hunt is leading a crack down
0:29:18 > 0:29:20on potentially dangerous fake products
0:29:20 > 0:29:23thought to be on sale in high-street shops.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27Looking for goods that are unsafe and would cause a risk to consumers.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31We're also looking for goods that breach trademarks.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33Fake goods is a constant battle.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35I'm surprised at how many goods get faked,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38and it's always changing - the styles and the brands.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41Graham Mogg from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group
0:29:41 > 0:29:45is particularly concerned about the safety of fake electrical goods.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47Some of the products, especially electrical products,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50are obviously not tested and are not as safe as the ones
0:29:50 > 0:29:52that should be on the UK market.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55So, we've had instances where people have injured themselves,
0:29:55 > 0:29:57electrocuted themselves,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00in some cases, have actually had some fatalities because of it.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02OK, let's go and do it.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07With the briefing over, it's time to hit the shops
0:30:07 > 0:30:09to see if they can find any dangerous fakes.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14David's straight into the first shop on his list.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16You know who I am. We're doing an inspection of your premises.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Any goods that we find that are counterfeit or unsafe
0:30:19 > 0:30:20are going to be seized.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25The team immediately stumble upon an array of fake fashion
0:30:25 > 0:30:28brazenly out on display and ready for sale.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32Graham Mogg is pleased with the first discoveries.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36We've found a whole range of counterfeit products,
0:30:36 > 0:30:41from belts and accessories, phone covers, handbags,
0:30:41 > 0:30:44clothing, shirts, T-shirts, jackets.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47A whole range of counterfeit products.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50So, that's 400 watches that are fake.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Fake Rolex.
0:30:53 > 0:30:54And fake Chelsea.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00But the team are going to have a look a little harder
0:31:00 > 0:31:03to find some of the other fakes concealed in the shop.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06- Can we just see if there's a light switch round the back?- Yeah.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08When the lights go on downstairs,
0:31:08 > 0:31:11it becomes clear there's a panoply of fakery.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15It's full of phone covers, mobile phone accessories.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17A lot of it is fake,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20so we're going to be here quite a lot longer than we expected.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24The basement room leads onto another one deep inside the shop.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29And it just keeps going back under the road.
0:31:31 > 0:31:36It's here that Dave finds some fakes that could be harmful to health.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Got Apple EarPod boxes.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41The EarPods may be dangerous because they may not have
0:31:41 > 0:31:44a noise-cancelling feature in them
0:31:44 > 0:31:46and they may actually damage people's hearing.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48As we can see on a loading bay here...
0:31:50 > 0:31:52..this has come in from Hong Kong.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57It's a rabbit warren, this place.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01It's just amazing what's stashed away, hidden away.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05Round the corner, Dave's spotted more dangerous fakes.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10That's e-cigarettes. The possibility is they are fake.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12They could be very dangerous.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14There have been cases of the batteries exploding
0:32:14 > 0:32:16in fake e-cigarettes.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21Before long, it's clear these are not the only
0:32:21 > 0:32:24potentially dangerous fakes in the shop.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28There are also what have been called legal highs on sale
0:32:28 > 0:32:30covered in fake trademarks.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32There's various types here.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35There's that one with a Batman logo. It's called Dark Knight.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37The other one, if I can find it...
0:32:37 > 0:32:39Look at that. Pingu.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41Trading Standards are particularly concerned
0:32:41 > 0:32:45that these fake drugs appear to be aimed at children.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49Unfortunately, people can end up hospitalised, in comas.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53And if that is not child appealing, I don't know what is,
0:32:53 > 0:32:55and that's a real, real worry.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58These drugs were seized on trademark grounds.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Since filming, legal highs have been made illegal.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Bag them up separately, please.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08The team have also come across some potentially explosive
0:33:08 > 0:33:11fake electronics, like this adaptor.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13The markings are wrong.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17There's no proper manufacturer's details on here.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Looking at it, you'd be able to insert it into...
0:33:21 > 0:33:24..a plug and have one of the sockets still live.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26It wouldn't fit safety regulations.
0:33:26 > 0:33:27It could cause death.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31Somebody could get electrocuted just in using this normally.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36Fake lithium phone batteries can be accidents waiting to happen.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38In this case, one already has.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43You can see it's swollen up, it's soft,
0:33:43 > 0:33:45it's actually failed inside.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49If that was actually put on charge, it could very easily explode.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Your premises had lots of goods that were counterfeit.
0:33:52 > 0:33:53Those goods have been seized.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58We've seized a significant quantity of fake goods
0:33:58 > 0:34:01and a number of those fake goods have been very dangerous.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05It's shown the problems in the area.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07It's shown the wide range of brands
0:34:07 > 0:34:10and types of goods that we've seized,
0:34:10 > 0:34:12and it's work that has to be ongoing.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16It's been a successful day for Trading Standards,
0:34:16 > 0:34:20with two vanloads of fake products off the high-street shelves.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22Investigations are ongoing.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33This is a seatbelt, and so is this, but as you can see,
0:34:33 > 0:34:37it's not like the ones most of us put on every day when we drive.
0:34:37 > 0:34:38It's called a racing harness,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41and it's used by drivers who like putting their foot down
0:34:41 > 0:34:44in their own car on a track day at a racing circuit.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47It provides extra safety for the demands of fast driving
0:34:47 > 0:34:51and thousands of these are sold every year, and they're not cheap.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54But as you might have guessed, this one isn't going to keep anyone safe.
0:34:54 > 0:34:55It's a fake.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59This is a track day.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02It's where anyone can drive their own car to its limits,
0:35:02 > 0:35:04experiencing the thrill of whizzing round a circuit
0:35:04 > 0:35:06like a Formula One pro.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10And they're becoming increasingly popular.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14Over 10,000 drivers a year now turn up to days like this one
0:35:14 > 0:35:16to enjoy the thrill of speeding faster
0:35:16 > 0:35:19than is allowed on a public highway.
0:35:19 > 0:35:20Ed Moore is the race director
0:35:20 > 0:35:23at this circuit at Castle Combe in Wiltshire.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28We have builders, farmers, accountants, City traders -
0:35:28 > 0:35:30all sorts of people -
0:35:30 > 0:35:32and it's a chance for them to stretch the legs
0:35:32 > 0:35:35of their road-based cars in the right way.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44Many drivers customise their road cars and add safety features,
0:35:44 > 0:35:48of which one of the most crucial is the safety harness.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51You can get the odd incident where people make a mistake,
0:35:51 > 0:35:53but if they've got the right equipment,
0:35:53 > 0:35:58the right seat and a good harness, then there's a very strong chance
0:35:58 > 0:36:00that they're going to be perfectly OK.
0:36:00 > 0:36:01Just hurt pride.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06Les Burdett is an accountant from Bristol.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09He got into track racing five years ago.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14Les reaches speeds of well over 100mph,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17and at that lick, it's no surprise that accidents...
0:36:17 > 0:36:20TYRES SCREECH ..like this near miss
0:36:20 > 0:36:23just in front of Les, do happen.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26I've had spins. We all have spins occasionally.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28I have seen cars in the barriers.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32That's probably the nightmare for any track driver.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34Because of the risk of a crash,
0:36:34 > 0:36:37drivers need to be properly protected,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40so Les has installed all the safety gear that he needs.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44This is my four-point harness.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46The bottom section does up across the lap.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48The shoulder straps clip into the top.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52That holds you back into the seat,
0:36:52 > 0:36:55and if I was unfortunate and had an impact,
0:36:55 > 0:36:58I'm not going anywhere. It's very, very safe.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03Les bought a genuine belt that will keep him safe,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06but there are fake harnesses for sale
0:37:06 > 0:37:09designed to look exactly like the genuine ones.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Buy a fake harness and your safety in a car crash
0:37:12 > 0:37:14might not be guaranteed.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18Garreth Sleigh is director of GSM Performance,
0:37:18 > 0:37:22which specialises in harnesses and other motorsport safety gear.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24Fake equipment has become a problem.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26There's a lot of auction sites that do sell these
0:37:26 > 0:37:28at very, very good prices.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31They're very good, because they're probably not real,
0:37:31 > 0:37:34in most cases, and we've seen a lot of them on there.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38Genuine harnesses are carefully designed, built and tested
0:37:38 > 0:37:41to ensure they'll protect the driver in a high-speed crash.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44With the fakes, looks can be deceptive.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48There's only a handful of key manufacturers in this industry,
0:37:48 > 0:37:50and generally, these companies have been doing it
0:37:50 > 0:37:52for 40, 50 years, and constantly developing them
0:37:52 > 0:37:54to ensure that they're as safe as they can be.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Whereas the companies that are making the fakes
0:37:57 > 0:38:00try to make them look similar, but not really function the same.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02So, it may look fantastic,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05but the functionality within the fixings and the buckles
0:38:05 > 0:38:07are what's failing, and that's the critical part of the belt.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11One of the main brands being faked is called Takata.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14So, we've got two different Takata belts here -
0:38:14 > 0:38:16the genuine one and we've got a fake one.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18Well, for a start, the belt buckle -
0:38:18 > 0:38:20the fixings are completely different.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23They've essentially used a metal mounting point
0:38:23 > 0:38:25into the back of the buckle,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28whereas the genuine Takata actually uses the webbing
0:38:28 > 0:38:30which goes through the back of it.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33The next obvious difference is the spreader plate,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35so this material and the load spreading
0:38:35 > 0:38:39is to distribute the weight evenly across your waist.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41They've not even put that on this one.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Without a load spreader, in a high-speed crash,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48the fake seatbelt could cut into the driver's abdomen,
0:38:48 > 0:38:50causing serious internal injuries.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52The actual bolting points to the vehicle
0:38:52 > 0:38:57have used a metal end with sort of a plastic coating over some steel.
0:38:57 > 0:39:02The bolt points on the genuine one are just a much better design.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05The webbing's been folded correctly to give it more strength.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10If the harness is not securely fixed to the car,
0:39:10 > 0:39:12there's every chance that the force of a crash
0:39:12 > 0:39:14could cause it to give way.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19Back at the circuit, Ed Moore's concerned about fake harnesses
0:39:19 > 0:39:22making their way into cars here.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26If you're wearing a harness which is going to break suddenly,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28then you can move a lot in the car,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31you can whack your head on the steering wheel.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33You know, you could break your neck, break your arms, legs.
0:39:33 > 0:39:34Doesn't bear thinking about.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40It's Trading Standards officer Roger Edmunds' job
0:39:40 > 0:39:43to ensure the public's protected from dangerous products.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45So, when he heard that large quantities
0:39:45 > 0:39:49of suspected fake racing harnesses were being sold online,
0:39:49 > 0:39:51he was concerned.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54One of the UK-approved dealers contacted us
0:39:54 > 0:39:57and told us that he thought that somebody in our area
0:39:57 > 0:39:59was actually selling these fake harnesses.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03They had some concern that they'd seen them being sold on eBay.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08The retailer was selling harnesses from top brands including Takata,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Sparco and Sabelt.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14The first step was to establish whether the harnesses being sold
0:40:14 > 0:40:16were actually fake,
0:40:16 > 0:40:20so the team bought one of each brand and examined them.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23It was very difficult, on just visual inspection,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26to tell whether the harnesses were fake or not.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29They had the test logo stitched into them
0:40:29 > 0:40:31as if they'd been tested by an accredited test house,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34and the general appearance and quality of the product
0:40:34 > 0:40:37looked very good, to be honest.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39The fake safety label could easily have fooled
0:40:39 > 0:40:43a member of the public into thinking this harness was safe.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47But Trading Standards wanted to see how the fake harness would perform
0:40:47 > 0:40:49in the event of a serious accident.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57So, they tested it by simulating a car crash at 50mph.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03A crash-test dummy which was used in the harness
0:41:03 > 0:41:06in an impact situation broke down completely under test
0:41:06 > 0:41:10with the total obliteration, basically, of the crash-test dummy.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12This is the crucial moment
0:41:12 > 0:41:17when the racing harness mounting points fail catastrophically.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21The implication for use by a human being was obvious.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Roger knew he had to take the trader out of operation
0:41:25 > 0:41:27before any dangerous fake harnesses
0:41:27 > 0:41:31could find their way into cars of unsuspecting drivers.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Obviously, our immediate cause for concern
0:41:33 > 0:41:34was how many had been sold,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37and the horrific nature of the implication
0:41:37 > 0:41:40if these were being used and an accident had occurred.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Roger got a warrant and raided the seller's property.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47When we got there, we found two or three harnesses
0:41:47 > 0:41:48and computer and phone evidence
0:41:48 > 0:41:51that he had actually been selling them in a widespread way
0:41:51 > 0:41:55and, unfortunately, we found that he was selling not just in the UK,
0:41:55 > 0:41:57but in mainland Europe, as well.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Thanks to the evidence seized,
0:41:59 > 0:42:02the seller is now facing a criminal prosecution,
0:42:02 > 0:42:04but Trading Standards has no idea
0:42:04 > 0:42:08how many dangerous fake harnesses have been sold.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11Our great concern is that there are some still out there
0:42:11 > 0:42:13where people could be using them in rallies.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16And they do have an impact and these products would break down
0:42:16 > 0:42:19and we're trying our very best to get them recovered.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23Fake Britain wanted to find out what experienced drivers
0:42:23 > 0:42:27like Les Burdett made of the fake harness test.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32Oh, my God. Is that really something that somebody was selling?
0:42:32 > 0:42:35That's dreadful. Absolutely dreadful.
0:42:35 > 0:42:40It just breaks away at the bottom and then strangles the guy.
0:42:40 > 0:42:41That is unbelievable.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44So, you can imagine that a broken neck
0:42:44 > 0:42:46is probably going to be the least of your worries
0:42:46 > 0:42:48in that sort of accident.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51Driving at speed with a fake harness
0:42:51 > 0:42:55would be much like being a skydiver with a faulty parachute.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57It would be that serious.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04That's all from Fake Britain. Goodbye.