0:00:02 > 0:00:05Every minute of every day, someone somewhere is getting burgled.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10It doesn't sound good.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14With an average of 92 break-ins an hour, it's a huge problem.
0:00:19 > 0:00:24It never ceases to amaze me how much mess these burglars cause for people.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26For the victims of these crimes,
0:00:26 > 0:00:30it can take months or even years to overcome the trauma.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34How dare they! Out of order, out of order!
0:00:34 > 0:00:38I felt sick, someone's been in my house.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41I don't want to drive up to a building and see it trashed again.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44But in this series we're fighting back against the burglar...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Police - forcing entry! Police!
0:00:46 > 0:00:49..helping you to beef up your security.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Here we go.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53While the police catch the criminals.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56How are you feeling about things now?
0:00:56 > 0:00:58I feel loads better, loads better.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03This is Break-In Britain - The Crackdown.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Hello, we're back for a new season and on today's programme
0:01:09 > 0:01:15a brazen burglar is caught rifling through a couple's belongings
0:01:15 > 0:01:17while they're in watching telly.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21He was in my house and he shouldn't have been.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24What would you do if you discovered someone in your house,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26run a mile or fight back?
0:01:26 > 0:01:29I wouldn't rely on most family pets for support.
0:01:29 > 0:01:34Later on we'll have the story of a home in Wales that was ransacked
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and a little dog called George left traumatised.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39It's emotional, isn't it?
0:01:39 > 0:01:43It is emotional, I'm having palpitations today to be honest.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45But first Nick and Avril from Leeds.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48They thought their home was pretty secure
0:01:48 > 0:01:51but they were in for a nasty shock.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55At two in the afternoon there's an emergency call.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Unbelievably the burglar was still in the house,
0:02:08 > 0:02:10while the call was taking place!
0:02:30 > 0:02:33When I arrive the police investigation is underway.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36But I need to see how the couple, who are in their 70s,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39are coping, after confronting their intruder face to face.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44My wife and I were sitting down in the lounge watching television.
0:02:44 > 0:02:49She heard a noise...upstairs, which she thought was a footfall.
0:02:49 > 0:02:57I said I'll go and check, you get the phone, ready to dial 999.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00I went upstairs - the bedroom door was swinging open.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04I saw a shadow of a person on the wall.
0:03:04 > 0:03:10So I kicked the door open and this guy jumped out in front of me.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15He said, "I'm not a burglar, some guys are chasing me.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18"I've come in here to hide."
0:03:18 > 0:03:20I said, "Rubbish, you're a burglar."
0:03:22 > 0:03:24What was going through your mind
0:03:24 > 0:03:28when you there tussling with this person, this intruder in your house?
0:03:28 > 0:03:32Just to apprehend him if I could.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37He was a guy of about 30, stocky build, very strong.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41So I just couldn't, couldn't restrain him.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44I think most people when face-to-face with a burglar
0:03:44 > 0:03:46would have gone in the other direction,
0:03:46 > 0:03:47but you didn't.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Well, yeah, he was in my house and he shouldn't have been.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Nick's home really is his castle.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58He and Avril have lived here since 1974,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00when their two sons were teenagers.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Some burglars deliberately prey on retired folk,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06but with Nick and Avril, this one met his match.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Do you think you'd do the same again, in retrospect?
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Yeah, I think so. I don't see why not.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15It's instinctive, you don't think about it at the time.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17You just do it.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19The burglar made his escape from Nick.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23But the doors were locked, and the man was never going to
0:04:23 > 0:04:27get back out of the tiny kitchen window he'd come in through.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29He ran back upstairs, into the back bedroom.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Could see a flat roof outside.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Trying to open it, he snapped the handle off.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36He was getting more and more desperate.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41I could see one of us getting damaged,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44when I say one of us, either myself or my wife.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49So I shouted down to my wife to open a door.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53He then ran past me, back downstairs and dashed out the front door,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56past my wife who's still on the phone to the police.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05But Avril kept a keen eye on where the man ran.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07And came up with a vital clue.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09She'd gone up onto the landing,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11and was looking out the landing window.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15So I shouted to her, "Have you seen where he's gone?"
0:05:15 > 0:05:19And she said, "Yes, I think he got on the 446 bus
0:05:19 > 0:05:22"and decided that was his get out."
0:05:28 > 0:05:30And that's the last we saw of him.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Hopefully Nick's description, plus Avril's statement,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39will help the police find their burglar.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41He made off with two watches and a pen,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43but right now I want to make sure
0:05:43 > 0:05:47the couple feel comfortable in a home they once thought was secure.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51We want to get our guys round to see if there's anything
0:05:51 > 0:05:55we can install to give you more peace of mind.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57How does that sound?
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Sounds OK to me.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01An expert will come round and tell me
0:06:01 > 0:06:05if there's anything else I can do. That's fine, don't mind at all.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09A few days later, with snow on the ground,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Crime Reduction Officer Richard Thornton arrives to take
0:06:12 > 0:06:15a good, hard look at Nick and Avril's security.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Not a moment too soon either.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20I think Avril the first night...
0:06:20 > 0:06:24- Yeah, I kept waking up. - ..was a bit...
0:06:24 > 0:06:27It kept going through my mind, then I'd fall asleep then wake up again.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31It's a relief that nothing happened to either of you?
0:06:31 > 0:06:32Oh, yes, yes.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Yes, we're fortunate in that respect.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38It didn't get to the point where he got violent with either of us.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41He was just getting violent with himself.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Surprisingly, more than half of all burglaries happen
0:06:44 > 0:06:46while there's someone at home.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49But Nick, a former structural engineer,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52was prepared with what's seems to me like good security.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55I wonder what Richard makes of it.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58My original reaction
0:06:58 > 0:07:01was the lovely hedges they've got round them.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Nicely manicured.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05They're actually causing a bit of a problem.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09I suspect that's why the offender's chosen this property.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11It's a tough one because you want
0:07:11 > 0:07:14some privacy in your own garden, don't you?
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Yeah, that's true. It does offer a huge amount of privacy.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20My issue there would be it also offers the offender the same thing.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24If you've got windows, private area round the back of the property,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26that can't be seen by anybody else,
0:07:26 > 0:07:31you've got loads of time as an offender to go round there
0:07:31 > 0:07:35and work on them to get your way into it.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38So what most people might think would offer protection
0:07:38 > 0:07:42to their home, is actually an encouragement to a burglar.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Richard's expert eye is going to be very helpful.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49That's probably one of the only things wrong with this house, surely?
0:07:49 > 0:07:51They've got double glazing, locks on the windows and doors,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54- they've an alarm in place. - There's one or two little things
0:07:54 > 0:07:57- I'd like to point out, if that's OK.- Absolutely.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Starting with the nicely concealed spot where the burglar
0:08:00 > 0:08:02managed to break-in.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05We do have a lot of information from offenders,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08one of the things they tell us is this type of window.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Obviously you can't see it now,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15it's the old louvered glass type.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19You have several small sheets of glass on a rack system.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Clearly the offender's seen it and in they've gone.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26So the burglar somehow squeezed through.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Then, when he was inside and hotly pursued by Nick,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31he spotted another weak point.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Are you concerned about the flat roof, is that right?
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Yes, it's fairly easy to access some of these types of flat roof.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39I reckon I could get on that roof.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41I could get on the wall,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43there's a few nails on the wall, I could get on top of the bush
0:08:43 > 0:08:45if I was in an athletic mood.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47- If!- Yeah, quite possibly.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51So yes, it would be reasonably easy for somebody to get up there.
0:08:51 > 0:08:56Richard recommends anti-climb paint to make that low roof secure.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Plus other inexpensive improvements they could do with.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Like sash jammers on the patio doors and even better screws.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- You can put them in but can't get them out.- Right, OK.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Time to hear Richard's security rating.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11So what score would you give this property out of ten then?
0:09:11 > 0:09:14I'd probably be looking at six and a half.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Nick's very proud of his security.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20So I wonder what he'll make of that.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23He gave you 6.5 out of 10 for your security, that annoy you?
0:09:23 > 0:09:28It didn't annoy me, it annoyed Avril, but it didn't annoy me.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33Erm... But I was surprised it was as low as that.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35No wonder. Now what about these?
0:09:35 > 0:09:37I think Richard would like to get rid of them.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Nick and Avril though are having none of it.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44I can understand Richard's point on that one entirely,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47but it also makes it nice and private through the summer.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50We spend a lot of time in the garden
0:09:50 > 0:09:55and I'd rather have the hedge there than 'possibly' risk
0:09:55 > 0:09:58another burglary in the next 20 years.
0:09:58 > 0:09:59That sounds final.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Still there's quite a lot we CAN help with,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04and I know just the man to call.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Hello, Neil, it's Keeley.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07'Hiya, Keeley.'
0:10:07 > 0:10:11I've got a couple who've already got some really good security
0:10:11 > 0:10:15measures in place, so it's going to be tricky cos they've got an alarm,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17decent locks, but I still think there's a few
0:10:17 > 0:10:19things that we can improve, if you're up for it.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21'Yeah, definitely.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24'Send me details and I'll get down and see what I can do.'
0:10:24 > 0:10:27- Brilliant, see you soon, thanks. - 'OK. Bye.'- Bye.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Well done, Keeley. Our security expert Neil will have Nick
0:10:30 > 0:10:32and Avril's place sorted in no time. Lovely!
0:10:36 > 0:10:40There are over 200 burglaries a week in West Yorkshire.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44While in South Wales there's only half that number.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47That's no consolation to Jackie, a single mother,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50who lives in the Mumbles district of Swansea.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54It's around 4.30pm when her call comes in to the police.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Sounds like she's really shaken up. I'm heading straight there.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24All I know is that it's not been a quick smash and grab job.
0:11:24 > 0:11:25I'm going to find out more.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29When I arrive the whole of Jackie's house is a mess.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33They've really gone to town. What a sickener!
0:11:35 > 0:11:39So, have you had a good sweep of what's still here and what's gone?
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Erm... Yeah.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46I think they were looking for money and gold, I think.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Well, they had more than a good look!
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Judging by the devastation.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54They seem to have left some clues, though.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58There's a footwear mark there, and there.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01That could help catch the lowlifes who did this.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03While the police investigation continues,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Jackie, who works at the local prison,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08shows me how the burglar got in.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10They came in through the back gate.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12They've been into the shed.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15They've used our tools to break in.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Looks as if they've used a crowbar on the door twice.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20So they've just barred open the lock, there.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Yeah, they've just wrenched it open.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25It's not subtle, brute force.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Yeah, yeah, pushed it in.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29It was all too easy.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Courtesy of tools from the open shed.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35They certainly weren't too worried about George the dog either.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37Although Jackie clearly is.
0:12:37 > 0:12:42He's a wonderful dog and he's fab company and he's my best friend.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Thank God they never let him out
0:12:45 > 0:12:49cos then you'd be seeing a different side of me,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51I would not be very happy.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55It seems the burglar was looking for money,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58although he only came away with loose change.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01There's a telly missing but it's hard to tell in all this mess.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03What was it like when you first saw it?
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Erm...
0:13:05 > 0:13:08It's just hard...
0:13:08 > 0:13:13It's hard to think. It's just like, "What?!"
0:13:13 > 0:13:16It's like, "Oh my God!" You know?
0:13:16 > 0:13:19You can't comprehend it, it doesn't seem real.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Then my son, he phones me every day,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and I was crying on the phone to him,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28I said "We've been burgled.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30"They've trashed your bedroom."
0:13:30 > 0:13:33It's at that point your emotions start...
0:13:33 > 0:13:36You start getting upset then.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Jackie loves her old house - stuffed with quirky antiques.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44But her security badly needs updating.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47I hope that can be done without spoiling
0:13:47 > 0:13:49the period charm of the property.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53We've got a few experts who know all about security,
0:13:53 > 0:13:57they can pop round have a look at the place, look at the weak spots
0:13:57 > 0:13:59and try and make sure it doesn't happen again.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Would that help you out?
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Fab, absolutely. Bring it on, yeah, definitely.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08Jackie's had to spend the night at her daughter's.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10I've got to get her help quickly.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14I'm no expert, but that old house looks wide open to the next
0:14:14 > 0:14:16set of burglars who come along.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20She needs a security assessment
0:14:20 > 0:14:24and then a lot of work doing - fast!
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Hello, it's Dan...
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Meanwhile in Leeds.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Nick and Avril are still coming to terms with the awful moment
0:14:32 > 0:14:34they discovered a burglar in their home.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52I was very angry and upset at the time and I'm still angry about it
0:14:52 > 0:14:56and I'm still hopeful that the perpetrators
0:14:56 > 0:14:59will eventually get their comeuppance.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02It hasn't made you feel different about being in the house?
0:15:02 > 0:15:06- I think a little, yes. - Avril's felt different.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- Yes.- You tend to check doors and windows more.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12- Yes.- Even though they're locked, you still check them again.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Yes, I double-check the doors.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17They thought their home was already pretty secure,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20but our rating was just six and a half.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23So no time to waste,
0:15:23 > 0:15:27and our security expert Neil's here to get stuck in.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30- Hello. How you doing? - Hello, Keeley. I'm fine.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34- What can I help with?- You do the tick list as we carry on.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37We're starting out at the front door.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Ah...
0:15:41 > 0:15:42Are you laughing?!
0:15:42 > 0:15:44You're laughing!
0:15:44 > 0:15:47The locks are good, but they could do with some help.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50These two security strips here,
0:15:50 > 0:15:51which reinforce the door frame.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55So they've had decent locks fitted, but that's taken out quite a lot of
0:15:55 > 0:15:59the wood so by putting these in it just gives it a bit more clout.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06I've broken the screw!
0:16:06 > 0:16:10Many of our improvements are simple and inexpensive.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Well, these are security screws, what you call cut screws.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16And once you actually drive it in through the beading,
0:16:16 > 0:16:17it won't come out again.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Careful you don't smash it!
0:16:20 > 0:16:23And if the burglar decides to clamber out onto the low roof,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26we have a low-tech solution. Yuck!
0:16:26 > 0:16:29- It's a thick, black grease. It never dries.- Oh, God!
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Put it onto pipes, on top of roofs, fencing.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33You get that on your hands, it'll take you a couple of days
0:16:33 > 0:16:35- to get it off. - Really? That long?- Yeah.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37But if anybody tries to put their hands on,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40they're going to slide off and they're going to be caked in it.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44- You missed a bit!- No, I haven't! How do you know from down there?
0:16:44 > 0:16:46LAUGHTER
0:16:46 > 0:16:50But hopefully we can avoid all that by fitting dummy CCTV cameras
0:16:50 > 0:16:54to fool any burglar into thinking they'd be caught on film.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Well worth it at around £30 each, I'd say.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Well, these are actually dummy cameras of an actual live system,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03but you're not going to the full expense of having to put
0:17:03 > 0:17:06a full CCTV system in.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Looks realistic, and it's really effective.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Those cameras, plus our other improvements,
0:17:11 > 0:17:16should encourage any would-be burglar to walk on by.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19So, Neil's inside finishing off and Nick seems really happy with what
0:17:19 > 0:17:23he's doing, but one thing that Nick didn't want to change was the hedge.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26He planted it himself, and it's actually older than I am.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Nick and Avril just value their privacy too much,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32so the hedge is staying.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35But what about the brazen burglar who caused all this?
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Well, there's been a major breakthrough in the case,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42and it looks like cameras have again been crucial.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46Remember how Avril saw him making his getaway on the bus?
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Well, there was CCTV on the number 446 and it seems
0:17:49 > 0:17:51they have our man on film.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57I'm off to police headquarters in Leeds to take look at the footage.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59This is definitely one of the persons we're interested in speaking
0:17:59 > 0:18:02- with in connection with this burglary.- Oh, and there's two of
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- them now.- The information, from the complaint, there was
0:18:04 > 0:18:07only one person involved, but these two get on the bus
0:18:07 > 0:18:10at the time the complainant says, and obviously match the description.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12It's a really clear picture, isn't it?
0:18:12 > 0:18:15I mean, a lot of CCTV, you can barely make out, you know,
0:18:15 > 0:18:19what they're wearing. No detail. This is really good stuff.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22As far as CCTV goes, this is excellent.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24And you know these are the guys because...?
0:18:24 > 0:18:27These people get on the bus at the same time that the victim is
0:18:27 > 0:18:29saying that the suspects have got onto the bus.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Clearly, there's two people and we only had one description
0:18:32 > 0:18:36in the initial instance, but both of them are obviously of interest.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39So, potentially two villains in living colour.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42They may as well have taken a selfie!
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Especially with the footprint the police have lifted, too.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47It's about proving that the suspect has been in that house,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50so what better way to prove they've been in the house than having
0:18:50 > 0:18:53- forensic evidence inside that address?- So, what's the next step?
0:18:53 > 0:18:55It's being released to the media.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06This is today's paper, and the CCTV images are in here.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08I'm just amazed at how clear they are.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Someone is bound to recognise these two.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Meanwhile, I want to see how they're coping in South Wales.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24- Hi, Jackie. Can I come in?- Yeah, of course you can.- Lovely. Cheers.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Jackie's daughter Lauren has got the place looking nice
0:19:26 > 0:19:29and tidy again, and George the dog seems fine,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33but I think what's happened is really hitting home.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38My mouth's very dry. I just feel a bit anxious today.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42I think it's probably due to everything, so much going on.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45I'm just burnt out, to be honest. I feel quite tired.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47- It's emotional, isn't it? - It is emotional, yeah.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51I'm having a lot of palpitations today, to be honest.
0:19:51 > 0:19:57I think that's probably cos I'm really tired today. I'm burnt out.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Lauren's very concerned about her mum.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02She's worked so hard for everything that she's got.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05She's been a single mother, you know, raising three children,
0:20:05 > 0:20:09and somebody's just come into her home, where she should feel safe,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12gone through all of her personal stuff.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15As a family, are you worried about her?
0:20:15 > 0:20:16Yeah, I'm very worried about her,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18especially being here now on her own.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20Well, hopefully we can fix the place up
0:20:20 > 0:20:22and make sure no-one else gets in.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25- Yeah.- Put your mind at rest. - Oh, definitely, yeah.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Time to meet up with Crime Reduction Officer Tony Pain.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33He's here to assess, and his first impressions aren't good.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35It's not a particularly high gate.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37The wall is quite low over there,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41so it's easy for somebody to just hop over without any real effort.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44And this is where the criminals got in, actually.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50It's got a padlock and hasp here,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53but even if the gate is locked, it still won't actually stop somebody
0:20:53 > 0:20:57who's determined to hop over, and here you've got the garden shed.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59There's some tools in the back as well.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03Tools left around is a complete no-no. It's a burgling kit.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05It really is.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Tony's also spotted an unsecured sack truck,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10and that could give a burglar a leg up.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Aye, I know what they're for. I used to be a porter, so...!
0:21:12 > 0:21:14TONY LAUGHS
0:21:14 > 0:21:16But I never used one of them as a ladder.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19And of course, the flimsy point of entry.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23The design of this surface-mounted mortise lock hasn't changed
0:21:23 > 0:21:25- since Victorian times.- Yeah.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29I remember, that's the type of lock that was on my nan's door.
0:21:29 > 0:21:34You know, I guess she was lucky no burglars got into her place.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Tony thinks modern locks and new windows are the solution,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40plus an alarm, because only a quarter of burglaries
0:21:40 > 0:21:43happen in alarmed properties.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Tony doesn't rate domestic pets
0:21:45 > 0:21:47as much of a deterrent either, by the way.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49Sorry, fellas!
0:21:49 > 0:21:52So, Tony, you've had a good look around the property now.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Overall, for security, marks out of ten, what would you give it?
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Well, it's a beautiful period house with original features,
0:21:59 > 0:22:04but unfortunately they're not very secure, and this is just over 2.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09- It's not very good, I'm afraid. - God, that sounds paper-thin to me.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14Unfortunately, the period features haven't got the right security
0:22:14 > 0:22:18to bring them up to standard, and that's what lets the house down.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22OK. No half measures.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26This is going to be a job for the heavy mob!
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Here we go. Get this on it.
0:22:31 > 0:22:32DRILLING
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Jackie's left us some cakes as well. She's good to us.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42And the heavy mob gets a bit heavier!
0:22:44 > 0:22:47At least Jackie's period front door is solid,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50but with a new lock, it'll be secure, too.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Most of our efforts though, are going to be
0:22:52 > 0:22:55concentrated on making safe the back of the property.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Don't give me the technical stuff to do.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05All I'm good for is the grafting!
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Jackie needs a proper fence and gate.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19The tools safely locked away,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22and, of course, a well-lit and well-constructed
0:23:22 > 0:23:24back door and window.
0:23:24 > 0:23:25Did I mention the fence?
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Back in Leeds, there's another development in the investigation
0:23:34 > 0:23:37of the burglary at Nick and Avril's.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41The release of the CCTV images has done the trick.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43The police have got their man.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46He's Thomas Cawley, a prolific offender
0:23:46 > 0:23:49who's been in and out of jail since the age of ten.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52As a child, he used to climb in through cat flaps,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55with retired people his usual victims.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58He's now committed over 100 burglaries, and after
0:23:58 > 0:24:03confessing to several in the Leeds area, he's safely back behind bars.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05I feel a sense of relief he's been caught,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and also that he's admitted to the offence.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Cawley was sentenced to three years, four months,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17for a number of burglaries including Nick and Avril's.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21The second man seen with him on the bus was released without charge.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Cawley's jail sentence should help Avril sleep much more soundly.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Her 999 call was so traumatic
0:24:32 > 0:24:35she's now forgotten every word that was said.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37But what about the security improvements we've made?
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Better than 6.5 now, we hope.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Richard's here to reassess.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46I'm much happier now with the Birmingham bar fitted to the door.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47That's really good.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50The sash jammers have gone on quite a number of windows as well.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53There's CCTV as well, been installed,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56so that's another good, positive point.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Well, actually, Richard, about the cameras.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00There's something that we haven't told you.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03They're not real. They're just fake cameras,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07and Neil assured us that even an expert eye wouldn't be able to tell.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Yeah, they do look real. The wiring's, er...
0:25:10 > 0:25:15They're genuine-looking and obviously a very convincing camera,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17so, no, I'm happy with that.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Now, the hedges are one thing that Nick wouldn't budge on, but we
0:25:20 > 0:25:23have done a lot of other improvements to the back of the property.
0:25:23 > 0:25:24That's why he's lost marks.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26SHE LAUGHS OK!
0:25:26 > 0:25:27So, the new magic number?
0:25:27 > 0:25:298.5.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32It'll be interesting to see what the score is now, now that
0:25:32 > 0:25:34all of the other security measures have been put in place.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Yeah, well, you're still going to lose some marks, I'm afraid,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41from Richard, for the hedges, and he's still aware that you're going to
0:25:41 > 0:25:44put some security measures in place like the fence round the back...
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- Mm-hm.- ..but as it stands, at the moment, he's giving you an 8.5.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52- Oh, that's a lot better.- A lot better, yes.- Yeah? Happy with that?
0:25:52 > 0:25:54- Certainly are.- Yes, we're delighted.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57You got an 8.5 and you tricked the security expert,
0:25:57 > 0:25:59so what more can you ask for?
0:25:59 > 0:26:02- And you kept your hedges!- Yeah, yeah.
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Good work, everyone.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06In Swansea, we had even more to do,
0:26:06 > 0:26:11especially after being given a measly security rating of just 2
0:26:11 > 0:26:13by the Crime Reduction Officer.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Time to reveal the improvements.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18Here's Jackie.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Hope she likes my fence!
0:26:20 > 0:26:21Oh, my God.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- Oh, my God, it's amazing! - It's good, isn't it?
0:26:25 > 0:26:30- It doesn't even look like my garden! - You can't even see your garden.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33I didn't expect that at all. Not at all.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Solid.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37- It... I'm in shock! - LAUGHTER
0:26:37 > 0:26:40I really am. It's just brilliant.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44Cos they done a hell of a lot inside as well.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46This is what we want to hear.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49I can't wait to reveal what her new rating is.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Tony originally came round and had a look at the place.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54It was only a 2 out of 10 for security,
0:26:54 > 0:26:56but when he reassessed it, he said it was 8.5.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01Which is absolutely fantastic, and I just feel very, very happy.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04- I do, yes.- Really chuffed?
0:27:04 > 0:27:07I'm absolutely delighted with all the help I've had.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10It's been fantastic, and now all these security measures
0:27:10 > 0:27:13are in place, I can actually sleep at night now.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18So, an old house, but now it's got brand-new security,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21and it's made a massive difference to Jackie.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23That's what we're here for.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27And with the burglar behind bars and their security upgraded to
0:27:27 > 0:27:30an 8.5, Nick and Avril are feeling a lot safer now, too.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33That's great news. Well, that's it for today.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Hope you'll join us next time,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38when we'll be taking more steps to beat the burglars.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40- Bye for now.- Bye-bye.