Episode 1 The Real Hustle

This is The Real Hustle: New Recruits.

The hustlers are back and they've brought in two new faces to help them with their scams -

new recruits Polly and Jazz.

They'll join original hustlers Paul, Jess and Alex.

Working together as a team,

they'll carry out scams that are more cunning and devious than ever before.

On tonight's show, the new hustlers have a smashing first con.

Oh, my God, it's all smashed!

Jess shows off her lung capacity.

And actress Roxanne Pallett goes all bug-eyed.

Oh, my God! I'm going to be sick!

The hustlers have invited celebrity friends to help them with their scams.

They'll be thrown in at the deep end - no training and no practice. Just straight in.

Today's celebrity guest hustler is a stage and screen actress,

best known for starring in Emmerdale, Roxanne Pallett.

I've no idea what to expect.

I'm just really anxious to get going now. It's the fear of the unknown, isn't it?

I'm apprehensive cos I don't know what the task is.

Once I know what I'm doing, I'll focus on that.

But I think I can do this. I'm an actress. I better bloody be able to do this or there goes my craft!

Roxanne has been told to stand outside a Tube station and wait for instructions.

-Hi there. Are you Roxanne?

-Yeah.

-I'm Paul.

-Hiya.

-Nice to meet you.

-You too.

-Come this way.

All right, so today, we're going to pull a mini-heist.

We're going to steal some valuable merchandise. We do need a little help. We have you.

But we also have a couple of new hustlers on the team.

Paul doesn't mean Polly and Jazz. He's talking about these.

Agh! Oh, my God.

-Cockroaches.

-Oh, God!

-Is that real?

-Yeah.

-Is it dead?

-I hope so.

-Oh, my God!

-Are you all right?

-Yeah.

Roxanne will need to test her nerve in The Smoke.

Alex and Jazz are the first up in this scam.

It looks like they're dressed for some dirty work.

They're not an everyday sight for The Mark.

Hi.

We're here to do a fumigation. Pest control.

If there's a bug infestation, it's the first The Mark has heard of it.

There's an outbreak in the area.

Of various insects.

They've got cockroaches...

He texts his boss for clarification.

-A lot of people have said they've had mouse droppings.

-Mouse droppings.

-Sure, no worries.

-The boss hasn't booked any exterminators either.

What's the address here? The number?

Yeah, 127 is what we've got. The trouble is there's a 127C.

Here comes someone who can sort out this confusion.

It's Paul, posing as a supervisor from the council.

-What are you doing?

-Just starting the fumigation.

Excuse us. Sorry.

Wrong address. How embarrassing!

-It's up here.

-The infestation must be next door, not in the shop.

Not yet anyway.

Half an hour later, it's time for Roxanne's first big task in the scam.

She enters the shop, accompanied by Jess, both posing as shoppers.

-Hiya.

-Hello.

I told you - Calvin Klein.

Roxanne looks a little uncomfortable.

No wonder because she's carrying something rather unpleasant in her coat pocket.

It's a mobile phone. Earlier on, Jess removed the back and the battery

and used the cavity to hide a small insect passenger - a dead cockroach.

Hello.

Over to you.

Yeah. I'm just trying to work out which one I saw from the window.

The bug is held in place only by Roxanne's gloved hand.

Her job here is to plant it inside one of the display cabinets.

-Are you allowed to get one out and show me?

-Yes.

But she needs to pick her moment carefully.

Hang on. Was it that one?

Roxanne opens the display case.

Yeah. They're not digital, are they?

There goes the cockroach.

It was like that, but a little bit different. What else have you got?

Next, she needs to drop some more cockroaches from a plastic bag.

-Are they those ones that...?

-Done.

Now to make a scene.

Oh, my God! I'm going to be sick!

-What?

-Look on the floor. Look on the floor.

-BLEEP

-Oh, my God, they're cockroaches! That's vile!

If only there were some exterminators nearby.

Jess has spotted some.

-I'm going to go and tell them.

-Agh! There's one... There's one in there!

There's actually one inside.

I'm sorry, but that's disgusting.

They just don't seem to care.

I'm going to be sick. All right...

Roxanne is putting her acting skills to good use.

-Are you all right?

-I just need a bit of fresh air.

-I can't believe they just let those in there.

-You definitely didn't call us in today?

-No.

Council official Paul must now convince The Mark he's dealing with a full-blown infestation.

You've got an air-conditioning unit here. This pipe is a travel way right there.

The stuff's screwed into the wall, so I'm guessing you've got a cavity back here.

I'll bring them in here and we'll just do a quick cleanse in here. It'll take about 15 minutes.

Then we'll do upstairs. Does that sound fair enough?

It's council. We'll take care of it.

The idea of getting this problem dealt with here and now and for free seems too good to refuse.

The Mark will be mad to turn down Paul's offer of an on-the-spot extermination.

This is what we need to do. I'll get the guys to come in here first.

We'll fit some plastic on top of these units.

And then they'll basically smoke this room out.

It'll take ten minutes for it to clear with the door open.

You need to be outside.

I'll be in here monitoring. Let me get them to come in here.

Paul brings in the professionals.

Look at this.

-So what's the...

-We have three here, one here.

I think there's one at the back, but I can't quite see it.

Lucky you're not a food shop!

Right, we'll get the gear.

-It's a bug's life.

-It's a bug's life!

People eat these!

So The Mark's going to get the place fumigated,

but he's about to have a much bigger problem than a few dead bugs.

When hustlers go out, they don't bring money, they bring prop bets -

challenges designed to win or lose a drink.

But a proposition bet only has one rule and that's that the hustler always wins.

-I'm quite competitive.

-Excellent. OK, I've got a challenge for you.

Obviously, I'm using a balloon in my favourite colour - pink. I'll blow the balloon up.

OK, it's a normal balloon.

I'll tie it in a little knot.

OK, now, we're going to take it in turns.

I want you to balance this balloon on your head,

whatever angle you think.

Walk around the table with it balanced on your head, without holding on to it.

You can't rub it and get static and make it stick down.

However many times each of you can do it, I'm going to add that up and I bet I can do more than that.

I bet I can walk around more than all three of you put together.

-If I do that, you owe me a drink. So if I do it three times, three drinks. You get the idea?

-Yeah.

Sounds simple enough. To avoid buying Jess a drink, they have to balance the balloon on their heads

and walk as far round the table as possible.

Jess is giving them a big advantage by offering to beat their combined total distance.

-So who wants to go first?

-Ladies first.

-There you go.

Straight on there.

There you go... Oh! So you got, what, an eighth round the table?

-Who wants to go next?

-You can go.

You've got really short, spiky hair.

Let's check you've not got anything sticky on there. I just wanted to have a feel. Sorry.

That was actually less. I'll give you an eighth.

-Your go. It might actually stick on your head.

-It might. We'll see what happens.

OK...

And...

That was all right. You got probably more than everyone, but it did fall off more or less straight away.

Their combined total was...rubbish.

If we add that up, you got about halfway round, didn't you?

If I can walk around once, I get two drinks, twice, four drinks and so on and so forth.

I'll balance this balloon on my head, but...

I didn't say you couldn't do this.

I'm going to pop it first.

-So this is the same balloon. You agree, yeah?

-Yeah.

I've popped it on my head. I'm not touching it, am I? So round I go...

I think you get the idea, don't you?

That's two drinks. I'll go round another time, so we've got four, then we've all got a drink.

Another prop bet, another round of free drinks.

It's a sunny day in a bustling city centre,

the perfect place for new recruit Polly to hone her hustling skills

in The Box Drop.

It looks like Polly is moving in

and she's looking for someone to help her get those removal boxes off the pavement and into her apartment.

On a busy day like this, she doesn't have to wait long.

Right behind Mark Number 1 is another new hustler - Jazz.

Together, they plan to get The Mark to pick up one of these boxes and then drop it.

The Mark can help you, but they must pick up the box in a particular way.

At the sides. It'll only be taped with a bit of tape on the side,

-so as soon as they pick it up, after five seconds, it'll fall.

-I like it.

We've got a laptop worth a couple of hundred quid.

-Yeah.

-We also have one that's broken.

Excuse me, guys. Could you do me a favour?

-Yeah.

-I'm just moving into the flat. Could you help as well?

For the scam to work, The Mark must pick up a box from the side nearest the door.

That way, he won't see that the middle box is only held together by a tiny slither of packing tape.

But The Mark instinctively goes to the wrong side, and spotting the opening,

picks the box up from the bottom.

The Mark goes about his business, leaving the new hustlers empty-handed.

-No worries.

-Thanks very much.

Will the hustlers' luck change with Mark Number 2?

Could you do me a massive favour? I've just moved in up there. I need to get these boxes to the lift.

-Could you help me as well? I don't want to wait here, come back and they're stolen.

-What do you want?

-I've just moved in. I just need to take them to the lift.

-Of course.

-Could you take one each? Thank you.

-You've got a bag.

-So far, so good.

-And finally...

-CRASH

-Oh, my

-BLEEP

-God!

-Oh...

-Oh, Jesus.

-Oh, my God.

-Oh...

-Do you have, um...

-Wrecked. I don't care about my plates, but my laptop.

Do you have insurance for it?

-Yeah, but the excess is like 200 quid. I can't afford that.

-Horrible.

-What am I going to do? I start my new job next week.

-What do you do?

-I'm a PA.

Polly rolls out the sob story. And Jazz is there to play the gentleman.

I've got 20 quid if that helps at all. I feel partly responsible.

-Here's my card. Let me know what happens.

-The mark gives Polly a card, but no cash.

-What about you guys?

-I don't have any cash on me.

-Jazz gives him another chance to pay up.

-I'll leave you my phone and I'll go get you another 40 quid.

Get yourself sorted out and drop me an email.

-No good. The mark is willing to help, but it sounds like he's broke.

-Have you got any cash at all?

No.

Oh, God. It's just getting worse.

Another mark slips through their fingers like a dodgily-packed box.

Polly and Jazz give it one more go with Mark number 3.

Excuse me, guys. Could you do me a massive favour? I'm moving in.

I need to get these boxes just to the lift. I don't want to do it and find the rest are stolen.

-Could you give me a hand?

-Just to the door?

-Yeah.

-I don't want to come back and they're gone.

-This guy's world is about to come crashing down.

You've just broken my plates. Oh, and my lap...

Oh, my...

-Oh, my God.

-What happened there?

-Oh, my God. It's all smashed.

-Jesus.

-Did you not hold the bottom? What am I going to do?

The mark already feels guilty so Polly turns up the pressure.

I've just started a new job and I need that next week.

I'm not worried about the plates but look at... Oh!

Oh, my God. Absolutely destroyed.

-Have you got...

-I can't believe this.

-..insurance for it?

-Yeah.

But I have to pay an excess of £200. I can't afford that. This is awful.

Polly leaves Jazz alone to have a man-to-man chat with the mark.

Do you want to put some money in together?

I don't know. 50 quid each towards her excess if it's 200?

I just feel partly responsible.

-I know what it's like...

-I'm shaking.

-We're both going to put some money in to help towards your excess.

-That's news to him.

-Shall I put this in?

-I'll sweep that up. I'm not worried about my plates. It's just my laptop.

This guy's still not flashing the cash.

I'll get some money and give you 40. He's going to give you 50.

That at least puts something towards getting it repaired.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

-And there's the wallet.

The mark feels so guilty, he hands over £50 to a complete stranger.

Jazz keeps up his end of the bargain, too,

though he knows he'll be getting his money back.

The mark heads off, thinking he's done a good deed.

-In fact, he's just been done.

-All right, mate. See you later.

I dropped a box that had a laptop in it and broke it.

The guy carrying one of the boxes offered to give her some money. She'd brought up money.

He offered to give her some, then he asked me as well.

I felt I may as well chip in and help her out a bit. I've been took for a ride.

This is quite a devious little scam. Even novice hustlers can fool you.

Do someone a favour, then you're reaching for your wallet.

Hustlers have always exploited people's good nature to make them feel responsible for damaged goods.

This was a good Samaritan, trying to help.

An accident happens. He's got no liability whatsoever.

Never part with money under these circumstances. It's a rip off.

Earlier today, actress Roxanne Pallett planted dead cockroaches in this watch store,

-persuading the mark that he may be dealing with a bug infestation.

-Oh, my God! That's disgusting.

As luck would have it, council boss Paul had an extermination team in the neighbourhood.

He offered the mark a free on-the-spot extermination.

We'll do a quick cleanse in here. 15 minutes.

An offer too good to be true as he's about to find out in...

The Smoke, Part Two.

The hustlers prepare the shop for fumigation.

But here comes a new junior exterminator. It's Roxanne.

The mark has already seen her as a shopper. If he recognises her now, it's game over.

Her mask is slipping a bit. Make sure it's tight.

First day.

There's going to be an awful lot of toxic smoke

-so Paul has brought a special camera.

-Heat-sensing camera. We see anything that's moving.

Alex starts the fumigation process.

Due to the toxic nature of the fumes, the mark must wait outside.

It's getting awfully smoky in there.

In fact, the mark can't see a thing through the large display windows

and that's exactly the point.

There is no cockroach infestation. And this isn't toxic gas.

In fact, Alex has just been using a portable disco smoke machine.

The whole set-up has been designed so the hustlers can ransack the shop

while the mark waits patiently outside. Paul's infrared camera captures the action.

Roxanne is certainly getting into the spirit.

The mark is blissfully unaware that a few feet away thousands of pounds worth of watches are going.

In fact, the scam is going a little too well.

The bulging sacks are loaded into the box with the smoke machine.

Alex will have to make a trip to the van to make space for more.

They mustn't let too much smoke out or the mark will see what's going on.

But then disaster. The box is too heavy and the lid comes off in Alex's hand,

right in front of the mark.

Before he has a chance to see what's inside, Alex replaces the lid

and carts the booty off into the van.

Now there's space for a refill.

Time for one more trip into the shop before the smoke thins out.

By now the hustlers have taken tens of thousands of pounds' worth of watches.

Now to get out of here. Alex and Jazz are first.

Once again, the mark doesn't notice how heavy that box has become.

That's us.

Time for Roxanne's getaway.

She needs to fake a coughing fit.

This is a very high-risk moment. The mask is off and the mark could easily recognise her face.

Can you wait here for 5 minutes? That's it. Come on.

Come on, you're OK. OK, come on.

Paul rushes her off for medical help.

Before the mark knows what's happened, the hustlers are gone - along with hundreds of watches.

Meanwhile, the mark is still waiting outside for the smoke to clear.

He still thinks it's toxic.

10 minutes later, he decides to risk the smoke.

Instinctively, he heads straight to the till to check the float is still there. It is.

Because the hustlers weren't there for the loose change.

And then the reality hits him.

The cabinets are open and the shelves are empty.

He now realises that the store has been robbed.

He breaks the bad news to his boss.

A lot of stuff really is missing.

Three shelves have been ransacked is the best way to put it.

A few minutes later, the shop owner turns up to find out what's happened.

They're both speechless.

-I literally stood outside.

-You were outside? I thought they were just going to spray the floors.

They said they needed masks and everything else.

I'm shocked to the point where I don't know what to feel.

Just complete befuddlement.

I mean, I've never actually been in the presence of a proper robbery.

This is completely shocking to me. It comes to about £20,000 in losses.

When the room started filling with smoke, my heart rate increased!

I was thinking, "I can't see, I'm trying to get all these watches in a bag"

and I couldn't see where the other guys were. I was terrified. Talk about living on the edge.

I can't believe people do these.

Nobody likes the thought of a cockroach infestation, so that offer seemed too good to refuse.

Having Paul there as a council official makes the whole scenario plausible and above board.

Never leave a stranger alone with your valuables at home or work.

If someone claims they're from the council, check - call the council.

A conman will be long gone before you even pick up the phone.

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Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2011

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