Caravan Crooks Break-in Britain - The Crackdown


Caravan Crooks

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Every minute of every day, someone somewhere is getting burgled.

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Doesn't sound good.

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With an average of 92 break-ins an hour, it's a huge problem.

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It never ceases to amaze me how much mess these burglars cause people.

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For the victims of these crimes,

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it can take months or even years to overcome the trauma.

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He was in my house, and he shouldn't have been.

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-It's emotional, isn't it?

-It is emotional, yes.

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I'm having a lot of palpitations today.

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It's just...it's heartbreaking.

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But in this series, we're fighting back against the burglars...

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Police forcing entry!

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..helping you to beef up your security...

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Here we go.

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..while the police catch the criminals.

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We can be safe. Thank you.

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This is Break-In Britain The Crackdown.

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-Welcome to the programme.

-Hello there. Now, caravans.

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If you've ever been stuck behind one on a long, windy journey,

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you might not be the biggest fan, but for thousands of us,

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they're a brilliant way to explore the countryside.

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Sadly, though, they're not immune to burglaries.

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And today, I'm meeting a woman who was left heartbroken

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when her caravan was ransacked by particularly greedy thieves.

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It looks like the offenders have actually managed to find

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this box of cakes in one of these cupboards

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and actually helped themselves.

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I felt like crying, because I was angry,

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not because they had taken stuff. The stuff can be replaced.

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I'm going to help a family from Leeds sort out their home security

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in a pet-friendly way after their conservatory was smashed open.

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It's horrible knowing that somebody has been in there.

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It's frustrating that somebody has had the nerve to come in.

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And this is our home, this is where we bring the children up.

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South Wales Police cover an area of more than 770 square miles

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and investigate around 70 domestic burglaries every week.

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A call has just come into their headquarters.

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The burgled caravan belongs to 53-year-old housewife Deborah.

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Her father discovered the break-in

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and has alerted the police to the scene.

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It's being stored on a farm on the outskirts of Neath near Swansea

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where some caravans are kept during the winter months.

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This is like an extension of my home.

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Let me just talk you through some of the property that was stolen.

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The toaster. Hair straighteners. A television.

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It's estimated that

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more than a million of us own caravans in the UK.

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I'm hoping PC Katherine O'Brian can tell us

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what has happened to this one.

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There have been a number of break-ins to caravans

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in this site on the weekend.

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The important thing is that we get Crime Scene Investigation

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up here to dab for any fingerprints in the caravan. We're hopeful

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that we'll have some really good forensics that we can work with.

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Does this sort of thing happen quite often?

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We have had a spate of it over the weekends.

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But the lady did tell me that she's had a caravan here for five years

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and this is only the first incident of its kind for herself.

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She feels that she has been personally violated

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by them going into her caravan, an extension of her home,

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and actually targeting her caravan.

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This field is just three miles from Deborah's house.

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The investigation has gone on into the night

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and I want to find out how Deborah is feeling now.

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Hello. I'm Dan.

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So what's happened?

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My father came this morning and found that it was actually open.

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Somebody had been in there

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and basically taken everything that they felt they could get money for.

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And ransacked it in the process.

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What had they been looking for?

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Stupid, trivial things that don't cost a lot of money.

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And it's actually annoying to think that they could invade my space.

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Deborah's holiday snaps showed the fun times

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she has shared with her three grandchildren in the caravan.

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The mobile home has been a vital part of their family get-togethers.

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It's just a mess in there.

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That has been almost completely snapped on the bottom

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and they've just pulled it out to see what was underneath.

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-How are you feeling?

-I feel angry.

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I felt like crying, because I was angry,

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not because they had taken stuff.

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The stuff can be replaced. It was my...well, my space.

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I'm just baffled as to how you would secure this any better.

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There is nothing really.

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To be honest with you, I blame myself for putting stuff in there,

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because we were going away.

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You can't blame yourself, you've got 20-odd years of owning a caravan.

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-This never happened before.

-Never happened.

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It's clear that, for victims like Deborah,

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it's less about the material things

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and more about the invasion of privacy.

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It's the day after the burglary

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and Crime Scene Investigation Officer Dan Poeton has arrived

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to look for any potential evidence to help catch this culprit.

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The door was actually intact when I got here.

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But we noticed that the top of the door was actually slightly ajar.

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There's no actual tool marks on it at all, which is what we often find.

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What it looks like they've done is managed to claw this back

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and then, some sort of implement, they've slid down

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and then, you can see here,

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it's just a very basic plastic lock

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so it wouldn't take much to pop that open.

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Then, inside,

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you can see they've opened all of the cupboards.

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It's an untidy search basically.

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I've gone round with the brush

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looking for fingerprints on the actual cupboards.

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What's more than likely happened, though,

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is they just simply touched the handles,

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which, as you can see, a very thin handle there,

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which doesn't give us any sort of scope for getting fingerprints off.

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The only thing of significance that I can utilise here

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is the Mr Kipling box,

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cos it looks like the offenders have actually managed to find

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this box of cakes in one of these cupboards

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and actually helped themselves to a couple of cakes.

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I can't believe the cheek of this thief -

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eating Deborah's food while he's pilfering.

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Talk about having your cake and eating it!

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And as the packaging heads off to the lab,

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I wonder how Deborah's feeling now.

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How did you sleep last night?

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Not very well. I kept waking up.

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If I'm asleep in there, and somebody can get in that easy,

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they can take anything they want, even my life.

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Well, let's get that out of your mind anyway.

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We can get our experts round,

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see if there is something we can do

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to get the security beefed up on the caravan.

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-Stop you feeling like that.

-Yeah. Have a look.

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I sort of knew a caravan wouldn't be as secure as a home,

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but I was surprised at just how flimsy Deborah's locks were.

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I want to find out what, if anything, can be done about it.

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Crime reduction officer Kevin Evans is giving me

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a security tour of this mobile home.

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Obviously, this has been targeted,

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because they could probably see the property through the windows,

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because I can see through there now some property visible quite clearly.

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My advice would be to empty your caravan during the winter months,

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of everything.

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And possibly consider putting a sign up - this caravan has been emptied.

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So, therefore, it's giving the message out

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to your potential criminal that there is nothing in there.

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This is basically a holiday home,

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but you shouldn't treat it like a home.

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It's not a home. This isn't bricks and mortar.

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It's just something you can enjoy during the year with your family

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and it's a wonderful holiday. But it's not your home.

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-It's not as secure.

-I'll go and show you where they got in.

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-You can see there.

-Good grief, yeah.

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As we can see here, the caravan, predominately, this is plastic,

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plastic lock as well.

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That is all you've got holding this actual door

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is that little piece there

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fitting into a very, very small, what we call receiver.

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And, obviously, it's quite easily forced.

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To me, the locks are Toytown.

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It's nowhere near a front door lock

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-and it's not even anywhere near a car door lock.

-No, it isn't.

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Probably a car door lock is far more secure than this.

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But, to be fair to the caravan owner,

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as you can see here embossed into the window,

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it's security marked and electronically protected.

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So, if we're talking about the theft of the caravan,

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that's not as appealing to me, because how am I going to sell this

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with these index numbers? How am I going to get rid of it?

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People aren't going to wish to purchase that from me

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if they know it's stolen.

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But in terms of it actually getting broken into,

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-it's inherently weak, isn't it?

-It's a caravan.

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I hardly dare to ask this,

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but, overall, what would be your security rating out of ten for this?

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One or two, maybe, maximum.

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That's being honest.

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I cannot give it a higher figure.

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Oh, dear. Not sounding good.

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I'm guessing there's not a lot we can do to turn this into Fort Knox.

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What can be done?

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Very, very difficult to fully secure the caravan here.

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Um...

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Potentially, put an alarm inside the vehicle. That would help.

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And putting a sign in the window as we spoke earlier on.

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I'd certainly consider that.

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Even if we put in all of your recommendations,

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what would the security score be?

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We'll go to three and a half possibly.

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I can't see anything better than that, to be honest with you.

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-It's still realistic.

-We've got to be realistic, we've got to be honest.

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Certainly, we're honest in this context.

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A caravan is very, very difficult to protect,

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simply from entry through the doorway, very, very difficult.

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We need to do everything we can for Deborah to make her caravan safer

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and put her mind at ease.

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I'm going to sort this one out as quickly as I can.

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Over in Leeds, the West Yorkshire Police control room is taking

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an emergency call.

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Landlords Steve and Pauline have been managing busy Leeds pubs

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for the last 20 years

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and are a big part of the community.

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But whilst hard at work,

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they received a phone call from a neighbour

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alerting them to a smashed window in their home.

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The couple rushed back to find their brand-new conservatory

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had been broken into.

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Steve and Pauline are giving a statement to the police

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while PC Gabby Keeley fills me in on the details.

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-There's a real mess.

-There is, yes.

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-Two doors have been smashed.

-Yes.

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What do you think he's used to get through there?

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-It must have been pretty...

-A bit of metal, a rock.

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I'm having a look round... as soon as I got here,

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there's nothing left immediately at the scene or inside that I can see.

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They could have brought something and taken it with them.

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This lovely home has been turned upside down

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and it's devastating to see.

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Steve and Pauline have lived here for seven-and-a-half years

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and have two children and two family pets.

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What was it like when you first came home?

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It's horrible knowing that somebody has been in there.

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It's frustrating that somebody has had the nerve to come in.

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This is our home, this is where we bring the children up.

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Luckily, there's...

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All of the damage...they've been into every single room, under the beds,

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everywhere, into all the drawers.

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It looks like the only thing that is missing is the personal laptop.

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Not much may have been taken, but to add insult to injury,

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the windows and door on the conservatory were brand-new.

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They were only installed a week ago.

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Every single window and door got replaced.

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That's another job to do now.

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I heard you say to the police officer

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that you got the top-of-the-range locks on the door.

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That's what we thought.

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We basically said to the window guys, "Do we need to have these replaced?"

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"No, no, they won't come through these doors." Which they haven't.

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They've come through the window, not through the locks.

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-You must be miffed about that.

-Hmm.

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The officer has taken a statement off Steven.

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The family are clearly shaken up by what has happened today.

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And now the police are speaking to neighbours.

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Somebody must have heard a massive pane of glass smash.

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Hello, sir.

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We're just conducting some door-to-door enquiries.

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It happened during the daytime, so we're going round the houses

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to see who was in during the time that the break-in happened

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and if they've seen or heard anything.

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While the officers get on with the investigation,

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I want to do my bit to help Steve and Pauline.

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I can see that you are both, not only angry,

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but upset that someone has been in here.

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What I would like to do for you

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is get our security expert to come round and have a look at things

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and fix things for you,

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and also add anything

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that he thinks might help you to feel safer and more secure.

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That's what we'd like to do for you,

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to make you feel a bit more at home in your own home again.

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-How do you feel about that?

-That would be great.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

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Right, I'll get on the phone to him and get it sorted ASAP.

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He can have a good look round and see what would make you feel better.

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-That'd be great.

-Thank you.

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Just 8% of burglars force their way in

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by breaking or cutting glass in a window.

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I've asked crime reduction officer Richard Fulton

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for his professional opinion on how secure the rest of the property is.

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This is where the burglar broke in.

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Obviously, they've still got the glass to be reglazed.

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What do you think of this part of the property?

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Standard sort of conservatory.

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There are a number of issues with this particular type of construction.

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I would be recommending at this point

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to upgrade to laminate glass

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which has got a plastic film within the actual make-up of the glass

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so that's a lot stronger.

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Richard is also concerned

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about a potential entry point for unwanted visitors.

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We've got a fairly easy point of entry to this garden

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from this particular side.

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It's on the road side, so it's fairly easy to pop in and out.

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There's a little bit of fencing at that side,

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but it is very easy to breach.

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It'd be quite easy for them to hop over and just climb down the steps.

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It's just easy to hop over and, obviously, then you're in.

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After giving the rest of the house the once-over,

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it's number crunching time for Richard.

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Out of ten, what mark would you give this property for its security?

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As it stands at the moment, I'm going to be really mean with this one.

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I'm going to give it a six.

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There's a few issues that I'm not happy with,

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which we can quite easily overcome and make it a lot more secure.

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-Plenty to do to improve the security?

-Yes.

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With lots to be getting on with,

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it's time to break the news to Steve, Pauline and Annabel the dog.

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I've had Richard round, he's looked round the property,

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at the locks, the shed and the fact you haven't got an alarm.

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He's only given you six out of ten.

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What do you make of that?

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It's mediocre, room for improvement.

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Just mediocre.

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We'll be back later to see if we can push that score up

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with some simple improvements.

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Earlier in Neath, South Wales,

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I met Deborah, who was left distressed

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after discovering her beloved caravan had been broken into.

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If I'm asleep in there, if somebody can get in that easily,

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they can take anything they want, even my life.

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This greedy thief had an attack of the munchies during the break-in

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and devoured a few of Deborah's Viennese Whirls.

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But the packaging left behind

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was taken away by the crime scene investigators

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and is now in the hands of the forensic lab.

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Criminals are known to consume food and drink

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during the course of committing a burglary.

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Sometimes they will drink alcohol and leave a forensic trace then,

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because of the saliva aspect.

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Sometimes they will actually cook food.

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But, unwittingly, they have given us a line of inquiry when they do that.

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The police use various methods to try and lift prints from evidence.

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In this particular case,

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one of the things they are doing is spreading a black magnetic powder

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to illuminate any prints left on the packaging.

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That is a fingerprint.

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This area here, although it's very poor quality,

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does appear to be a finger mark.

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So I'll capture that

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and see whether it's of any use to the Fingerprint Bureau.

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A print may have been found,

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but it's not good news.

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Unfortunately, on this occasion,

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we didn't get a positive forensic hit on that.

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Very often, there are a number of reasons why we don't get a hit.

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That could be down to the criminal being forensically aware,

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the texture and make-up of the item that's being submitted.

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But that doesn't say that the case is closed,

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because there are always other lines of inquiry.

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That is frustrating to hear,

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but hopefully this cake crook will still be caught.

0:18:300:18:33

So the security assessment on Deborah's caravan wasn't promising.

0:18:330:18:37

But I've got Tony down here to see what he can do.

0:18:370:18:40

Tony is already hard at it installing a PIR alarm.

0:18:420:18:45

That's a motion sensor alarm to me and you.

0:18:450:18:48

-Hi, Tone.

-What's happening, how are you?

-Good.

0:18:490:18:52

So a cold day in a caravan lock-up in the Valleys -

0:18:520:18:55

I told you telly would be glamorous.

0:18:550:18:58

Yeah. It's all it's cracked up to be.

0:18:580:19:01

What have you got for us?

0:19:010:19:03

I'm installing a PIR sensor here.

0:19:030:19:06

It's got a SIM card in here

0:19:060:19:07

that enables it to phone a mobile recipient.

0:19:070:19:10

Whenever this is triggered,

0:19:100:19:12

it will then call whatever number you programme in

0:19:120:19:15

and let them know that the alarm has gone off in the caravan.

0:19:150:19:19

So any intruders who come in from now on,

0:19:190:19:22

Deborah is going to know, because she will get a phone call.

0:19:220:19:26

She'll get a phone call. There's also a siren on it as well.

0:19:260:19:28

Brilliant, I'll let you get on with it. Cheers.

0:19:280:19:31

This alarm sounds a cracking idea. Just what Deborah needs.

0:19:330:19:37

Nice one, Tony.

0:19:370:19:38

While Tony is getting on with that, I'll make some of my own

0:19:380:19:41

door-to-door enquiries with the locals.

0:19:410:19:43

Seen anyone suspicious round here the other night?

0:19:430:19:46

All right, then.

0:19:480:19:50

Didn't see anything.

0:19:500:19:51

Lot of long faces when I asked.

0:19:510:19:53

That's enough horseplay from you, Dan.

0:19:560:19:59

Back to business in Leeds.

0:19:590:20:00

Steve and Pauline are hard at work in the pub they run.

0:20:000:20:04

I've called in legendary security fixer Neil to make their home safer

0:20:050:20:10

following a break-in through their conservatory.

0:20:100:20:13

Our security assessor was concerned about the gap in the back fence

0:20:130:20:16

where wannabe burglars could easily get in.

0:20:160:20:19

But Neil has a prickly solution.

0:20:190:20:22

It's what they call Prick A Strip.

0:20:220:20:23

It's the only legal thing you can put on top of fencing.

0:20:230:20:26

You know what my question's going to be - are these animal proof?

0:20:260:20:29

I'm worried about cats getting their paws and claws caught on that.

0:20:290:20:33

When I've put them on, ten minutes later, I've seen a cat walk along it.

0:20:330:20:36

So cheap, effective and pretty easy to fit.

0:20:360:20:40

-Easy enough for me to fit?

-Yes, yes. Of course it is, yeah.

0:20:400:20:43

At night-time, you're not go to see this.

0:20:470:20:49

If they try and come over it, it is going to shock them.

0:20:490:20:52

Sheds can be a burglar's treasure trove.

0:20:540:20:56

Not only for things to steal,

0:20:560:20:57

but also for equipment to use to help them break into the house.

0:20:570:21:01

So Neil is securing this shed with a special bar and new fixings,

0:21:020:21:06

making it more difficult to get into.

0:21:060:21:09

And inside the house, Neil has some great gadgets

0:21:090:21:12

to help Steve and Pauline feel more secure in their home.

0:21:120:21:15

-There's clearly still some security issues here.

-Like the glass missing.

0:21:150:21:19

That will get replaced.

0:21:190:21:21

-But you're concerned about the locks and the handles.

-Yes, that's right.

0:21:210:21:25

What we've got is a padlock.

0:21:250:21:26

It's specially designed to go over handles and lock the handles down.

0:21:260:21:30

Is that why people wind stuff round it like shoelaces?

0:21:300:21:33

Yes, I go to a lot of properties where they have put a belt round,

0:21:330:21:36

or just tied it with a piece of rope.

0:21:360:21:38

That's not making any security difference at all.

0:21:380:21:40

Because all the burglars will do is take the handles off from the outside

0:21:400:21:44

and they can gain entry that way.

0:21:440:21:45

The only thing it's doing is, potentially, it's a fire hazard.

0:21:450:21:48

But this one, all it does is clamp over the top of the handles.

0:21:480:21:51

There's no locks involved, because it works on a ratchet.

0:21:510:21:55

-And that's it, all locked.

-That's completely secure.

0:21:550:21:58

To take it off, you just press both of them at the same time

0:21:580:22:02

and pull it out.

0:22:020:22:03

-And that's a good visual deterrent from outside.

-Yes.

0:22:050:22:09

These French door security locks can be picked up for around £15 -

0:22:090:22:13

money well spent.

0:22:130:22:14

-And they could double as walkie-talkies.

-OK, then.

0:22:140:22:19

-Have you got tea?

-More tea. More tea.

0:22:210:22:23

Obviously, it's been recommended that Steve and Pauline get an alarm.

0:22:250:22:28

But when you've got furry friends,

0:22:280:22:30

it can be a bit difficult, because they can set the sensors off.

0:22:300:22:33

We'll have to see what Neil's got to say.

0:22:330:22:35

There's quite a few alarms out there that are animal proof.

0:22:360:22:40

What you need to be looking for is having window and door contacts.

0:22:400:22:43

Because if you put PIRs up,

0:22:430:22:45

although most of them are pet friendly,

0:22:450:22:47

unfortunately, cats will tend to set them off,

0:22:470:22:49

because they climb all over the place.

0:22:490:22:51

Because they're set at human height and, if a cat climbs,

0:22:510:22:55

-they're going to set them off.

-Yes, it will set them off.

0:22:550:22:57

You can put contacts in. That is a room contact.

0:22:570:22:59

You can see it's flashing, so it's actually picking us up.

0:22:590:23:02

But the contacts we're going to put on here are magnetic contacts.

0:23:020:23:06

-So if the door or window is opened, they go off.

-That's right.

0:23:060:23:10

I'm going to cover all access points downstairs.

0:23:100:23:13

We're still going to put a PIR, room sensor, in the conservatory.

0:23:130:23:16

Because they're going to section off the conservatory,

0:23:160:23:19

-the animals aren't going to go in there.

-Yes.

0:23:190:23:22

They are the best ones to fit, because it picks up any movement.

0:23:220:23:24

Steve and Pauline thought they had super-duper locks on their new conservatory.

0:23:240:23:30

Security assessment showed that they were just the basic ones.

0:23:300:23:34

Steven and Pauline have only had this conservatory for a few weeks.

0:23:340:23:37

It's brand-new and, when they bought it,

0:23:370:23:40

the salesman told them that these locks were top of the range.

0:23:400:23:43

Well, I can, just by looking at it, not doing any investigation,

0:23:430:23:47

-that is just a very basic lock.

-This must aggravate you.

0:23:470:23:49

The bane of my life for nearly eight years now,

0:23:490:23:52

trying to combat this type of problem.

0:23:520:23:55

What is the difference in price

0:23:550:23:58

between one of these and the decent locks?

0:23:580:24:01

The cylinder in there, er, you'll pick up £8-£10.

0:24:010:24:05

But the high security T S007 3-Star,

0:24:050:24:08

you're looking at between £45 and £65.

0:24:080:24:11

So this is the kind of lock that people should be looking for?

0:24:110:24:14

-It is, yeah.

-Crucially, it's got the three stars in the front.

0:24:140:24:19

-That's what you should be looking at.

-And the British Kitemark.

0:24:190:24:22

The British Kitemark with three stars

0:24:220:24:25

and that means it's passed the snapping test.

0:24:250:24:27

You can bin that. Put one of these good ones in.

0:24:290:24:32

We're really making sure the house is safer. Lock, stock and barrel.

0:24:320:24:36

I think Neil has done a fantastic job of the security upgrade,

0:24:390:24:43

but there's someone else we need to impress

0:24:430:24:46

and that is Richard from the police.

0:24:460:24:48

-What do you think now?

-Much improved, really happy with that.

0:24:480:24:51

The locks have been changed, the alarm system is in,

0:24:510:24:54

there's a couple of extra bits.

0:24:540:24:56

The shed has been improved in security.

0:24:560:24:59

-So you're going to be more generous now when I ask you to give it a mark out of ten, aren't you?

-Yes, I am.

0:24:590:25:03

Because I'm happy and things have gone well this afternoon, we've done a really good job.

0:25:030:25:07

What do you reckon? What's the magic number for this property?

0:25:070:25:09

-The magic number - you can never get a ten...

-No, so you've told me.

0:25:090:25:13

So I've told you. I think an eight and a half would be really good.

0:25:130:25:16

And that's a pretty good score,

0:25:160:25:18

-we're happy with it being nearer to ten.

-That's right.

0:25:180:25:20

Let's hope the occupants are really happy with that.

0:25:200:25:23

I'm sure they will be.

0:25:230:25:25

He drives a hard bargain, but eight and a half is a really good score.

0:25:250:25:30

I can't wait to tell Steve and Pauline

0:25:300:25:32

and, after a hard day's graft,

0:25:320:25:33

what better place to do it than in the pub?

0:25:330:25:36

We've had Richard back

0:25:380:25:39

and he's given it an eight and a half out of ten now.

0:25:390:25:42

-Does that make you feel happier?

-That's a lot better.

0:25:420:25:45

I'd like to know what the one and a half was for.

0:25:450:25:48

He's very strict with his gradings!

0:25:480:25:50

You'd have to have a moat round it

0:25:500:25:52

and Alsatian dogs roaming round the perimeter to get a ten, I think!

0:25:520:25:55

Hopefully now, you'll feel safe, both at home

0:25:550:25:58

and when you're at work and you leave your home as well.

0:25:580:26:01

Thank you.

0:26:010:26:03

Great work, Keeley. A pint of bitter for me, by the way.

0:26:030:26:07

I'm in Neath in South Wales and about to show Deborah

0:26:070:26:11

the improvements we've made to her precious caravan.

0:26:110:26:14

Deborah, I thought there was going to be nothing that would make this caravan any more secure.

0:26:140:26:18

But we have found you a little gadget.

0:26:180:26:20

It's an alarm and, whenever there is an intruder in there,

0:26:200:26:25

you'll get a phone call to your mobile phone.

0:26:250:26:27

Let's give it a go.

0:26:290:26:30

-ALARM BLARES

-Right...

0:26:380:26:41

-That's loud, isn't it?

-The siren is going.

0:26:440:26:47

I didn't want to be in there too long. You've got your mobile phone.

0:26:470:26:50

MOBILE PHONE RINGS

0:26:520:26:54

-"Caravan alarm."

-It actually tells you that's the caravan alarm.

-Yeah.

0:26:540:26:59

So you would've had that when the burglar got in.

0:27:010:27:04

A, they would have known that there was an alarm in there.

0:27:040:27:08

And B, you would have known they were in there.

0:27:080:27:11

I'm a lot happier now than I was a few days ago.

0:27:110:27:15

-Good.

-Thank you.

0:27:150:27:17

That alarm is a great bit of kit.

0:27:170:27:20

We've also given Deborah a good old-fashioned sign

0:27:200:27:23

to warn any potential lowlifes

0:27:230:27:25

that there is nothing worth breaking in for.

0:27:250:27:28

It's so difficult to make caravans totally secure,

0:27:280:27:31

but with the improvements we've made,

0:27:310:27:33

I'm sure Deborah and her family

0:27:330:27:35

will be free to enjoy many more happy holidays to come.

0:27:350:27:39

Those thieves may have got a taste of cake,

0:27:390:27:41

let's just hope they buy one from the bakery next time.

0:27:410:27:44

I'm happy we were able to help Steve and Pauline make their home safer,

0:27:440:27:48

for them and their furry friends. That's it for today!

0:27:480:27:51

-Until next time...

-Ta-ra for now.

-Bye-bye.

0:27:510:27:54

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